France's Hollande calls for Greek debt cut

(Vatican Radio) French President François Hollande arrived in Athens for an official visit yesterday, pledging to press for a cut in Greece’s intractable debt and soothe its troubled relations with the European Union.

Listen to John Carr's report from Athens

An elaborate welcome was staged for Hollande on his arrival, mirroring expectations in Greece that a delegation of businesspeople accompanying him will hopefully put some of their money into the crisis-racked country.  About 2,500 police, including sharpshooters on rooftops, were on hand to guard the French president.

Greek officials hope the French can invest in airports and railways.  But the deeper sub-text of this visit is that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wants Hollande to become Greece’s ally in the European Union, as a counterweight to Germany.  In statements on arrival here in Athens, Hollande confirmed that he would do that, but he also expected Greece’s reforms to continue.

The Greek government, though, dismissed whimsical reports in the French media saying Tsipras had detailed an especially attractive female security officer to watch over Hollande.