Pascal Lamy: Greeks know life would be 'more difficult' outside Europe
- 9 years ago
Pascal Lamy, former Director-General of the World Trade Organization and former EU Trade Commissioner, comments on the Greek debt crisis. He also speaks out about the migrant crisis and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
On the Greek debt crisis, he believes that "the fundamentals are there but we all know that European negotiations are always a bit dramatic."
"I am personally convinced that given what the Greeks have to do to reform their country... doing that outside European solidarity would be much more difficult. And that’s, by the way, what the Greeks believe… They know that their life would be even more difficult if they step out of this family," he said.
On the migrant crisis, Pascal Lamy has harsh words for his own country, France. "I think France has a duty to tell those... asylum seekers who want to start their asylum request in France… to treat them as humans. This is a human rights issue, not an economic issue."
On free trade, the former WTO boss admits that "the negotiators not done a very good job of explaining" the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) treaty. However, he is convinced that "the benefits long-term are huge."
Programme produced by Christophe Robeet
Produced by Isabelle Romero and Mathilde Benezet
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On the Greek debt crisis, he believes that "the fundamentals are there but we all know that European negotiations are always a bit dramatic."
"I am personally convinced that given what the Greeks have to do to reform their country... doing that outside European solidarity would be much more difficult. And that’s, by the way, what the Greeks believe… They know that their life would be even more difficult if they step out of this family," he said.
On the migrant crisis, Pascal Lamy has harsh words for his own country, France. "I think France has a duty to tell those... asylum seekers who want to start their asylum request in France… to treat them as humans. This is a human rights issue, not an economic issue."
On free trade, the former WTO boss admits that "the negotiators not done a very good job of explaining" the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) treaty. However, he is convinced that "the benefits long-term are huge."
Programme produced by Christophe Robeet
Produced by Isabelle Romero and Mathilde Benezet
Visit our website:
http://www.france24.com
Like us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FRANCE24.English
Follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/France24_en