AlQa'dah 3, 1432, Oct 1, 2011, SPA -- Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou on Saturday welcomed interest expressed by Qatar in investing in Greece, following a meeting with Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al-Thani, dpa reported. "The decision by Qatar to invest in Greece sends a message to the international community that it shows trust in the development opportunities offered in Greece," Papandreou told journalists afterwards. However the premier did not mention any specific deals or investments. Greece, which is currently trying to implement austerity reforms in exchange of emergency funds from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Union and European Central Bank to avoid defaulting on its debt, is desperately trying to attract foreign investment. Qatar had previously expressed interest in the residential and commercial development of the former Athens airport and cargo port terminal in the western city of Patras. Both investments fell through. But in August, Qatari-backed Paramount Services Holding Limited announced its involvement in the capital increase of the merger of two of Greece's biggest lenders, Alpha Bank and Eurobank EFG, creating the country's biggest bank.
