Greek PM, ND leader discuss all-party gov't


(ANA-MPA) -- Prime Minister George Papandreou held talks with main opposition New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras by telephone on Wednesday afternoon, after a round of telephone contacts with the leaders of the other Parliament-represented political parties.

While an earlier official announcement by ND had declined to disclose the content of their talks before Papandreou had expressed his position, unnamed sources within the party said the Greek prime minister had described the situation as extremely difficult and that he was prepared to consider either an all-party government or a broad alliance government.

The same sources (ANA-MPA) said Samaras did not reject the proposal but made it clear that this could not work with Papandreou as prime minister. To this, always according to the same ND sources, Papandreou apparently replied that he was not concerned about whether he was prime minister.

Other sources within the party announced that there would be a second telephone communication between the two men later on Wednesday afternoon.

Samaras has apparently made it a condition that a substantial renegotiation of the terms of the Memorandum for the loans to Greece be initiated, in order to agree to an all-party government. (ANA-MPA)

The ND leader, who has been in continuous contact with his closest aides since the morning, is expected to head to his party's headquarters in a short while. (ANA-MPA)