A 'No' vote by Greeks on Sunday will isolate the country

SINGAPORE is 15,000 km away from Greece, but the Hellenic ingredient remains vibrant in the city-state, from the presence of shipping owners to the Blu Kouzina restaurant on Bukit Timah road.

From my conversations with people here, I often hear of their admiration for Santorini island, Greek mythology and philosophy; these reactions are not peculiar to Singapore, but are heard from Tokyo to Buenos Aires, from Moscow to Pretoria.

However, I fear future generations of Greeks will soon be associated with something completely different, as Greece slides into what may be the darkest chapter in its history: isolation. The referendum scheduled for this Sunday bears dangers and it is a misconception to think only of the economic meltdown.