Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou appealed today to Arab businessmen to invest in his cash-strapped country during an economic forum in Beirut, according to dpa. Speaking at the opening session of a two-day Arab Economic Forum, organized by the Arab League, Papandreou said Greece was "changing rapidly ... We invite you all to join us, whether it is visiting Greece, whether it is investing in Greece, or whether it is working with Greece on common projects in the region." The prime minister's speech coincided with mass demonstrations in Greece against his government's austerity measures, agreed with the EU and IMF in exchange for a 110 billion euro (140 billion dollar) emergency loan programme. Measures include slashing wages and pensions. Greece's budget deficit has hit international confidence in the Greek economy and scared off potential investors and lenders. "We are limiting bureaucracy, making our economy investment friendly. We are passing new legislation so that new companies can get ... a licence right away, while in the past it took many months," he added. The Greek premier arrived in Beirut late Wednesday. He is scheduled to hold official talks later Thursday with Lebanese officials.
