Greece, EU to continue bailout talks
Print Edition
GREECE and the European Union said yesterday that talks would continue toward a deal on disputed reforms needed to unlock bailout loans as Athens began to feel the heat of a wave of June debt repayments.
European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said his officials were preparing “the next round of negotiations” after a four-hour meeting late on Wednesday with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, whose hard-left Syriza party was elected in January on promises to end five years of painful austerity measures that saw the Greek economy contract by a fifth.
European sources said another high-level meeting could be held in Brussels today, the day when Athens must repay over 300 million euros (US$336 million) to the International Monetary Fund.
And Tsipras will brief parliament on the state of the talks later this evening, the government said.
“I was sleeping three hours after having had long challenging discussions and negotiations with the Greek prime minister,” Juncker told a committee hearing at the European Parliament.
“This is the reason why I have to leave (the hearing) ... We have to prepare the next round of negotiations,” he said.
Tsipras said: “The talks will continue in the coming days.”
The 40-year-old leader added that after months of often bad-tempered talks between Athens and its creditors, “there was proof from the commission that it is at least disposed towards reaching a realistic agreement very quickly.”
Greek media said the government was hoping for a deal by June 14.
Athens has the money to pay the IMF today, a source with knowledge of the matter said.
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