Obama thanks Papandreou, vows to back Greece - The Best from Greece

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday vowed to back Greece during “difficult times,” the White House said in a statement.

The pledge was made during a telephone contact with former prime minister George Papandreou, the statement said.

"As the president said, the bonds between the American people and the Greek people are strong and deep, and the United States will stand with Greece through these difficult times,» the statement said, adding that Obama had thanked Papandreou for his contribution to bilateral ties.

A US government spokesman last week welcomed the appointment of Lucas Papademos, a US-educated economist and former senior ECB official, as head of the debt-wrecked country's interim administration.