ATHENS: Greece Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras emerged from late-night talks with senior EU officials in Brussels saying a deal with creditors was “within sight” and that Greece would make a payment due to the IMF on Friday.
But while the European Commission said “progress was made in understanding each other’s positions”, the leftist-led Greek government still rejects benefit cuts and tax raises its EU and IMF creditors want before they release fresh loans to avert a bankruptcy that could disrupt the euro zone and world markets.
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who hosted Tsipras for a late dinner at the EU executive’s headquarters along with the chair of euro zone finance ministers Jeroen Dijsselbloem, would reconvene their meeting in the coming days, officials said after the talks broke up in the early hours of Sunday.
With Europe’s big powers – and the United States – concerned about the unpredictable effects of negotiations dragging on while Greek reserves shrink toward zero, creditors signaled a will to compromise, notably by lowering how much surplus they want a new budget to generate to service Athens debts.
