To: The Foreign Ministers of the European Union.

Cc: President of the United States, Mr. Obama

Members of the European Parliament

Members of the Greek Parliament

Global Media

February 19, 201

Re: An appeal by Greek academics to the European leaders fPor successful conclusion of the Greek-EU negotiations

The undersigned Greek academics, from Greece and abroad, follow with great interest and concern the developments in the negotiations of the newly elected Greek Government with its European partners. The Greek Government currently has the support of the great majority of the Greek population and is acting with the best interest and the welfare of the Greek people in mind. It aims at halting the humanitarian catastrophe that the country has devolved into with the failed austerity policies of the past years.

With this letter, we wish to state that the one-sided view of the Greek economic crisis and the total lack of flexibility by Germany’s Federal Finance Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, and other European partners, make the negotiations not just difficult but practically impossible. Without underestimating the great need for structural reforms in Greece, we have understood that some of the strict austerity measures imposed upon the Greek people made several such reforms impossible to implement. Dr Schäuble and other European leaders ought to realize this, rather than insist for full completion of the agreement, particularly considering that parts of the agreement impede meeting the set goals. They shall bear most of the responsibility if the negotiations fail, and, as a result, Greece is forced to exit the Eurozone. Under current conditions, this will not only be negative for Greece, but will also harm the interests of the European people, the European banks, and will ultimately strike a serious blow to the scope and ideals of the European Union. Had a similar attitude prevailed in the negotiations of Germany with the allied forces after WWII, the so-called German economic miracle would have never occurred.

We fully support the negotiations of the Greek Government carried out by Yanis Varoufakis and the Greek government with the EU Institutions and the IMF.

Sincerely,

Anagnostopoulos Stavros A., Emeritus Professor, University of Patras, Chief Editor (Europe), Earthquakes and Structures GREECE.
Anastassopoulou Jane, Professor, National Technical University of Athens, GREECE.
As.Prof. Char. A. Apostolopoulos, Dept of Mechanical and Aeronautics Engineering, University of Patras, Greece
Argyropoulos, Yiannis, Ph.D., Principal Member of Technical Staff, AT&T Labs, USA.
Arkas Evangelos Ph.D. Physics & Th.D. CEO. PHOS Solar Technologies Ltd London, UK.
Aroniadou-Anderjaska, Vassiliki, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Maryland, USA.
Baloglou George, Professor of Mathematics at SUNY, New York, Greece.
Victor D. Balopoulos, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece
Emeritus Professor Dimitrios .E.Beskos of the University of Patras, GREECE
Billis, Euripides, Ex-Assistant Professor National University of Athens (NTUA), GREECE.
Blytas, George C. Ph.D. Physical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Research Consultant, Royal Dutch-Shell; President, GCB Separations Technology, Founder and Conductor: The Houston Sinfonietta. Author, The First Victory, Greece in the Second World War, 2009. USA.
Anastassios Carayannis, PhD, Professor, Department of Applied Human Science
Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
James Constantopoulos, Ph.D., Professor of Geology, Eastern New Mexico University
Constantelos Demetrios J. Ph.D., D.D. Distinguished Research Scholar in Residence; Charles Cooper Townsend Distinguished Professor of History and Religion, Emeritus. Richard Stockton University of New Jersey, Galloway, New Jersey, USA.
Socrates Dokos, PhD, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, UNSW, 2052, Australia
Spyros Economides, PhD, Professor, Department of Management, California State University, East Bay
Eleftheriades George Savva, Retired Academician, Australia.
Eleftheriadou Eugenia, Retired Academician, Australia.
Euthymiou Pavlos N., Emeritus Professor, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GREECE
Evangeliou, Christos C., Professor of Philosophy, Towson University, Maryland, USA.
Fytrolakis Nikolaos, Emeritus Professor, National Technical University of Athens, GREECE.
Filippas, Anastasios, Ph.D. National Technological University of Athens, GREECE.
Gatzoulis, Nina, Professor, University of New Hampshire, USA.
Pandelis Halamandaris, Professor Emeritus, Brandon University , Canada
Hatzopoulos, Ioannis (John), Professor, Director of Remote Sensing Laboratory and GIS, University of the Aegean, GREECE.
Ierapetritis, D. G., Ph.D. Geographer, External Research Fellow, University of the Peloponnese, GREECE.
Ioannou Petros, Professor, Electrical Engineering Systems, University of Southern California, Director Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies, Associate Director for Research METRANS, Director of Financial Engineering Masters Program, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Kakouli-Duarte, Thomais, PhD., Lecturer, Institute of Technology Carlow, Past President Hellenic Community of Ireland, Trustee Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in Dublin, Patron and Director at Phoenix Project Ireland, IRELAND.
Kaloy, Dr. Nicolas, Ph.D.(Philosophy), Geneva, SWITZERLAND.
Kamperidis Lambros, Université de Sherbrooke, Département de Philosophie, Quebec, Canada
Katsifarakis Kostas, Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GREECE.
Kelessidis Vassilios C., Ph.D., Professor , Mineral Resources Engineering School, Technical University of Crete, Greece, Petroleum Engineering Program, Texas A&M University at Qatar
Komodromos Petros, Assistant Professor, University of Cyprus, CYPRUS
Dr Demosthenes Kostas/ Konstantatos Ph.D,MSc, MBA, Greenwich CT USA
Kougolos Athanasios, Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Koutrouvelis, Ioannis A., Professor Emeritus, University of Patras, Greece
Kyriakou Georgios, Professor, Democritus University of Thrace, GREECE.
Ioannis Liritzis Ph.D (Edin.), Professor of Archaeometry, University of the Aegean
Laboratory of Archaeometry (Director & Founder), Dept. of Mediterranean Studies, Greece
Melakopides Costas, University of Cyprus.
George Mylonakis, Professor of Civil Engineering, University of Bristol, UK and University of Patras, Greece
Moschovakis A.K., M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Physiology, University of Crete
K. Moulopoulos, Associate Professor, University of Cyprus, Cyprus
Negreponti-Delivanis, Maria, Former Rector and Professor in the University of Macedonia, President of Delivanis’ Foundation, GREECE.
Dr Marina K-A Neophytou, Assistant Professor in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Head Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Cyprus, CYPRUS
Prof. Dr. Konstantin Nikolakopoulos, Institute of Orthodox Theology, University of Munich, Germany
Papagiannis, Grigorios Dr. Phil., Associate Professor, Democritus University of Thrace, GREECE.
Papadopoulos, Nikolaos Th., Ph.D., FEBO Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GREECE.
Papadopoulos Kyriakos, Professor, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118, USA
Papadopoulou Maria, Engineer, Larissa, Greece.
Pavlos, Georgios, Associate Professor, Democritus Technological University of Thrace, GREECE.
Phufas-Jousma Ellene, Professor, SUNY ERIE. Buffalo NY USA.
Kypros Pilakoutas, BSc(Eng), ACGI, DIC, PhD, DSc(Eng), Professor of Construction Innovation, Dept of Civil and Structural Engineering: The University of Sheffield, Sir Frederick Mappin Building, Mappin St., Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
Ralli Angela, Professor of Linguistics University of Patras, Member of the Academia Europaea
Rigos, Capt. Evangelos, Master Mariner, BBA Pace University of New York, GREECE.
Savaki Helen, Professor, Medical Faculty, University of Crete, Greece
Sotiropoulou Georgia, Associate professor, Pharmacy/School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Greece
Spiliopoulos Konstantinos V., Professor of Structural Mechanics, Institute of Structural Analysis & Antiseismic Research, Department of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou 157-80, Athens, Greece
Stylianos V.Spyridakis, Professor,Department of History, University of California,Davis
Stampoliadis, Elias, Professor, Technological University of Crete, GREECE.
Stefanakos Elias, Ph.D., PE, Professor and Director, Clean Energy Research Center, University of South Florida, USA
Tefarikis Xrisi Athena, Journalist. Former Professor at THE UNIACC university OF Chile and Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile.
Triantafillou Georgia, Ph.D., Professor of Mathematics, Temple University, 1805 N Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122
Tsitsipis John, Professor, retired, University of Thessaly, GREECE
Stergios Tzortzios Retired Professor (University of Thessaly-Greece)
Vallianatos, Evaggelos, Ph.D. Scholar and Writer, USA.
Prof. Panayotis Yannopoulos, Dept of Civil Engineering, University of Patras, Greece.
Professor Ioannis V. Yentekakis, University Council Member, Director: Laboratory of Physical Chemistry & Chemical Processes, School of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100-Chania, Crete, Greece