–Adds Comments By Dutch Finance Minister To Story Sent At 15:11 GMT
BRUSSELS (MNI) – German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said
Monday he was “confident” Eurozone finance ministers would reach a deal
on a second aid package for Greece, although there were still some
details to be nailed down.
“I’m confident that we will come to a unanimous decision,”
Schaeuble said on arrival for the Eurogroup meeting here.
His Austrian counterpart Maria Fekter told reporters that the
ministers would discuss whether the private sector might be involved “a
little bit more” in the Greek rescue in order to reach the goal of
bringing the country’s debt down to 120% of GDP by 2020.
“It will possibly also be discussed whether the public sector via
the national central banks or the ECB will help a little bit more,” she
added.
Fekter stressed, though, that Austria would be unwilling to involve
taxpayers beyond the previously planned amount in the aid deal, as “this
would overburden the national states.”
IMF Director Christine Lagarde said Greece had “clearly made
important efforts” and that now it was time for others, including the
IMF, to do their work.
Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos reckoned that the
Eurogroup was ready to strike a deal on the second Greek rescue package
today. “I’m optimistic, but in any case we need a clear approval from
the Eurogroup,” he said.
Luxembourg Finance Minister Luc Frieden echoed these remarks. “I
think we will conclude today,” he told reporters.
However, Dutch Finance Minister Jan Kees de Jager said, “We must
assess first if Greece has done enough.” He argued that there had been
too many derailments by Greece in the implementation of its reform and
budget consolidation plan up to now.
–Berlin bureau: +49-30-22 62 05 80; email: twidder@marketnews.com
[TOPICS: M$X$$$,MGX$$$,M$$CR$,MFX$$$,M$Y$$$,M$G$$$]
