BERLIN (MNI) – Neither an exit of Greece from the Eurozone nor a
restructuring of Greek debt is currently on the agenda, the German
government reaffirmed Monday.
“An exit [of Greece] from the Eurozone has never been discussed nor
is it being discussed,” government spokesman Steffen Seibert said at a
regular press conference here.
Finance Ministry spokesman Martin Kotthaus said at the same press
conference that a Greek debt restructuring “is not on the agenda [and]
is not being discussed.”
Kotthaus argued that there are currently no indications that Greece
cannot not cope with its public debt. There is no discussion underway in
the EU at the moment about a possible further extension of repayment of
the EU-IMF loan for Greece nor about a further interest rate cut on the
loan, he said.
Germany will now wait for the results of the next joint report of
the EU Commission, the ECB and the IMF on the situation in Greece,
Kotthaus said. Government spokesman Seibert explained that “we want
first to have the facts and then we’re willing to talk about the
consequences.”
The German daily Die Welt reported on Monday that Greece is
demanding an interest rate cut on the financial aid it receives from its
EU peers as well as a relaxation of its austerity program.
The paper quoted an EU official as saying that there are already
negotiations underway in the EU about Athens’ demands. It is now almost
certain that the interest rates on the aid for Greece will be lowered
once again, Die Welt wrote.
Greek Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou confirmed over the
weekend that his debt-laden country will request fresh bailout money
from its European partners if it is still locked out of capital markets
next year by prohibitively high rates.
Die Welt quoted an EU official as saying that a second aid program
for Greek might be necessary.
–Berlin bureau: +49-30-22 62 05 80; email: twidder@marketnews.com
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