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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-02-16
CONTENTS
[01] Best outcome at Eurogroup would be the institutions' return to
Athens, senior Eurozone source says
[01] Best outcome at Eurogroup would be the institutions' return to
Athens, senior Eurozone source says
BRUSSELS (ANA/ M. Aroni) A swift conclusion to the negotiations between
Greek authorities and the lenders would be "desirable," a senior Eurozone
official said here on Thursday, but there was no urgent need to conclude
the negotiations straight away.
Given the current state of play, the source added, the best possible
outcome after Monday's Eurogroup was the return of the institutions to
Athens to complete the review. Once the institutions return to Athens,
the source said, it should then be possible to reach a staff-level
agreement very quickly.
The source also pointed out, however, that it would take some time
before the next tranche of loans to Greece is disbursed, even after a
staff-level agreement is reached. The Greek government must first pass
legislation implementing the prior actions and it requires ratification
by some national parliaments, which may be delayed because of upcoming
elections in Eurozone member-states.
The European official pointed out that Greece has currently only
implemented a third of the prior actions needed to complete the second
review, commenting that "it could be better".
Asked about the IMF's participation in the Greek programme, the source
said the IMF's management was expected to ask the Fund's executive board
to approve a programme for Greece once a staff-level agreement was in
place. "Nothing is guaranteed," the source replied when asked if there
were guarantees the IMF will ask for a Greek programme, while expressing
conviction that the IMF's Executive Board would agree to a new Greek
programme if this was sustainable.
On the possibility of an emergency Eurogroup in the case of an agreement,
the official said there "was no rush to change the Eurogroup meetings
schedule." There were several more Eurogroup meetings between now and
July, the source quipped, "so you can all go skiing without worrying."
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