Greece welcomes EU to release bailout funds

ATHENS, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Greece on Tuesday welcomed the Euro Group's decision to release the next tranche of vital international bailout funding to Athens and reduce its sovereign debt.

"We have struggled together. A new day starts for all Greeks," Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said of the agreement reached in Brussels early Tuesday. A further 43.7 billion euros (56.7 billion U.S. dollars) of aid will be released to Greece in December and early 2013 with steps taken to ensure the sustainability of the Greek debt burden.

Optimism for the future was reflected in several statements made by Greek officials on Tuesday.

Greece's Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras said the deal between the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund "will keep Greece in the euro," since it gives the country an opportunity to break the cycle of recession and over-indebtedness.

Samaras' centre-Left coalition government partners, socialist PASOK party chief Evangelos Venizelos and Democratic Left party leader Fotis Kouvelis, talked about a "decisive step" which allows Greece to make a fresh start.

Recommended Features: Vibrant Opportunities amid Transition From 'Made in China' to 'Created in China' A Journey to Cultural Renaissance The Vision of A Pillar Industry China: A Fast-growing Force in IPR IPR in China: Local Roots Bearing Global Fruits A Decade of Fastest Development Eastern Boom Lightens Western Gloom Chinese firms 'potential Trojan horses'？