Biden calls for immediate action

After Iraq and Turkey, the United States Vice President Joe Biden is visiting Greece.

As soon as he set foot on Greek soil, Biden set the tone for his journey. "I believe that the clearer it becomes there is no alternative and time is running out, not only in Europe but also in the U.S. and around the world… the more likely it will be for someone to make very difficult decisions."

Biden criticized the Europeans for stalling, noting that in the last two weeks there has been no progress in addressing the debt crisis. With an America-type stance, he said that European leaders understand the high cost of failure but just to warn them, if they continue their inaction the results will be painful for everyone.

His line for intervening in the European debt crisis was "immediate action".

According to reports, Biden will encourage Papademos to stay on the reforms track, offering great symbolic support to the PM.

U.S. government officials have repeatedly spoken positively about the sacrifices of the Greek people and so one would expect something more than nice words from Washington. Besides, to increase employment rates and have development in the future we need to have investments and infusion of foreign capital in the country, both of which do not seem to make U.S. companies particularly enthusiastic.

Besides meeting with Papademos and Papoulias during his stay in Athens, Biden will hold talks with George Papandreou and Antonis Samaras.