Greek leaders hold power-share talks
Source: Agencies |
June 20, 2012, Wednesday
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RIVAL Greek party leaders were locked in a second day of power-sharing talks yesterday, with two potential minority partners voicing hope that a pro-bailout coalition government can be quickly formed after the debt-crippled country's second inconclusive election in six weeks.
At the core of any administration will be Antonis Samaras' New Democracy party, which came first in Sunday's vote and won 129 of Parliament's 300 seats.
Samaras is seeking an alliance with the third-placed Socialist PASOK and the smaller Democratic Left party, which would broadly fulfill Greece's pledges to its bailout creditors for further cutbacks and reforms, keeping the country within Europe's joint currency. Otherwise, Greece would run out of cash and the continent could plunge deeper into a financial crisis with global repercussions.
The main sticking point promises to be how much Greece is willing to tempt fate by seeking a more lenient deal from creditors fed up with missed targets and broken reform pledges.
PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos met with Democratic Left head Fotis Kouvelis, who said afterward that a three-party deal could potentially be achieved "within hours."
Kouvelis said parties first had to agree on a policy platform, and on who would be appointed to the cabinet.
"I believe the process is gathering speed, the country must have a government ... and in the next hours, if there is an agreement ... it will be possible for us to proceed," he said. Kouvelis insisted that parts of Greece's harsh austerity program must be revised, saying the country "has been pulverized by pitiless measures."
Venizelos, who had pressed for an agreement by last night, said he was optimistic a deal could be reached.
"I am confident after my meeting with Mr Kouvelis, our views are very close," he said. "Greece must - and will - have a government as soon as possible. We agreed that the necessary processes must be accelerated."
Both the conservatives and PASOK have pledged to respect the commitments for further austerity and reforms that Greece undertook as conditions for two massive international bailouts since May 2010. They are pressing for a deadline extension of at least two years, which would alleviate the immediate impact of new cutbacks.
At the core of any administration will be Antonis Samaras' New Democracy party, which came first in Sunday's vote and won 129 of Parliament's 300 seats.
Samaras is seeking an alliance with the third-placed Socialist PASOK and the smaller Democratic Left party, which would broadly fulfill Greece's pledges to its bailout creditors for further cutbacks and reforms, keeping the country within Europe's joint currency. Otherwise, Greece would run out of cash and the continent could plunge deeper into a financial crisis with global repercussions.
The main sticking point promises to be how much Greece is willing to tempt fate by seeking a more lenient deal from creditors fed up with missed targets and broken reform pledges.
PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos met with Democratic Left head Fotis Kouvelis, who said afterward that a three-party deal could potentially be achieved "within hours."
Kouvelis said parties first had to agree on a policy platform, and on who would be appointed to the cabinet.
"I believe the process is gathering speed, the country must have a government ... and in the next hours, if there is an agreement ... it will be possible for us to proceed," he said. Kouvelis insisted that parts of Greece's harsh austerity program must be revised, saying the country "has been pulverized by pitiless measures."
Venizelos, who had pressed for an agreement by last night, said he was optimistic a deal could be reached.
"I am confident after my meeting with Mr Kouvelis, our views are very close," he said. "Greece must - and will - have a government as soon as possible. We agreed that the necessary processes must be accelerated."
Both the conservatives and PASOK have pledged to respect the commitments for further austerity and reforms that Greece undertook as conditions for two massive international bailouts since May 2010. They are pressing for a deadline extension of at least two years, which would alleviate the immediate impact of new cutbacks.
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