国际英语新闻:Greek president to show determination to tackle crisis in EU summit

BRUSSELS, June 27 (Xinhua) -- Greek President Karolos Papoulias arrived in Brussels on Wednesday evening for the June 28-29 EU summit, carrying a message of determination on behalf of the Greek new government and people to tackle the current economic crisis.

Papoulias reached Belgium traveling in the economy class, as Greek national news agency AMNA noted.

As head of the Greek state delegation, replacing Prime Minister Antonis Samaras who is recovering from eye surgery, he launched a series of contacts with European officials ahead of the summit, starting with a meeting with Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, on Wednesday evening.

According to Greek government sources, Papoulias will state in every opportunity over the next two days the new coalition government's case for a review of certain tough conditions of the two bailout agreements with EU counterparts and International Monetary Fund creditors.

In preparatory meetings with party leaders and ministers earlier on Wednesday in Athens, the focus was on the request to boost growth in order to exit the austerity-driven heavy recession and counter the crisis on a European level.

Papoulias is expected to deliver to European leaders, according to Greek media reports, a letter from Samaras that will reiterate Greece's determination to meet commitments and goals under the bailout deals, but will also stress the need for some changes to the existing program.

Meanwhile, the Greek Prime Minister held on Wednesday a telephone conversation with his Italian counterpart Mario Monti and French President Francois Hollande, said an official press release from his office.

Earlier this week he had held similar contacts with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European leaders, in efforts to clarify the new government's stance.

Conservative New Democracy party leader Samaras won the critical June 17 national elections and formed a three-party, pro-bailout coalition government which took office on Friday.

He seeks to ease the burden on recession-hit Greeks by renegotiating amendments to the bailout terms to avoid a Greek disorderly default and to keep the country in the eurozone.