Friday 20 March 2015

GREECE: EU JOINT STATEMENT IN BRUSSELS; PM TSIPRAS' DEPARTURE STATEMENT; ξεκάθαρο μήνυμα ; "Back on the Rails"; Face-Saving Summit;



2.30 am (Brussels Time)


"We fully adhere to the agreement of the Eurogroup of 20 February 2015.


In the spirit of mutual trust, we are all committed to speed up the work and conclude it as fast as possible.


Within the framework of the Eurogroup agreement of 20 February 2015, the Greek authorities will have the ownership of the reforms and will present a full list of specific reforms in the next days.


We reconfirmed the practical agreement on the process: The policy talks take place in Brussels. The fact-finding missions take place in Athens.


The Eurogroup stands ready to reconvene as soon as possible".


PM Tsipras, Statement on departure in Greek (with brief statement in English)

In Greek, the PM states that there is "(let's say), a new deal" and that President Juncker will announce funding programmes to help counteract the humanitarian crisis in Greece, as quickly as possible.

Departure by Jeroen DIJSSELBLOEM, President of the Eurogroup : NOT YET AVAILABLE

Alexis Tsipras,  Press Conference in Greek (YouTube/ Sky TV, 44 minutes)

Extract on in.gr

Reuters report

"Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras assured European Union creditors at late-night crisis talks in Brussels that his leftist-led coalition would present soon a full set of economic reforms in order to unlock cash to stave off bankruptcy...But while a joint statement by the EU institutions spoke of a "spirit of mutual trust" and Tsipras said he left feeling more optimistic, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed no money would be released before Athens implements budget measures and other reforms that it has so far been reluctant to consent to. The risk of a continued standoff, exactly a month after Greece secured a last-gasp four-month extension of an EU bailout loan, was underlined in different descriptions by Tsipras and Merkel about what reforms Athens would need to launch".

Report on Chancellor Merkel's views (Kathimerini)

Greek Report on the Meeting and Outcomes, Kathimerini

"Ευρωπαϊκή πηγή με γνώση των συζητήσεων στην συζήτηση μετέφερε ότι ειπώθηκαν και σκληρές κουβέντες στο τραπέζι των 6 με τον κ. Γιουνκέρ να κάνει αναφορά στην άσχημη αντιμετώπιση των τεχνικών κλιμακίων στην Αθήνα αλλά και την αντιευρωπαϊκή ρητορική που χρησιμοποιεί η κυβέρνηση, κάτι το οποίο πρέπει να σταματήσει".

Avgi Summary - Greece has "ownership" of the reforms

Ta Nea: convergence; back on the rails

Spiegel Online: Der Gipfel der Gesichtswahrung

EU Observer report

"Give us a list of reforms, and you might get the money you need, Alexis Tsipras was told at a three-hour meeting with select EU leaders on Thursday (19 March)...The EU’s patience with the Greek government seems to be running thin, with Merkel noting that "there was some disappointment" that Greece has not yet produced a full list of reforms since 20 February. "A full list means a list with enough details to be able to ascertain if they are adequate," she said at a separate press conference..."The situation is serious. We don’t know how much money Greece has, where it comes from and where it goes," said an EU source".

The Guardian Updates - 'Greece must present a “full and adequate” list of reforms, fast, and all sides have agreed to work faster to make progress. Europe editor Ian Traynor explains:
- 'Following three hours of talks that ended after 2 in the morning, German chancellor Angela Merkel made it plain that there would be no quick disbursement of emergency aid to Greece unless Tsipras delivered on unfulfilled pledges to supply a full menu of proposed structural reforms to the Greek economy. The credibility of Tsipras’ proposals would need to be supported by eurozone governments before Greece, on the brink of insolvency, could obtain the financial support'.

Wall Street Journal report

Bloomberg report - Empty Greek Coffers Bring ‘Accident’ Threat Closer

Reuters: OECD/Greece

Yanis Varoufakis' blog - "Of Greeks and Germans: Re-imagining our shared future"

Varoufakis: "Those who mock us give us strength"



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