Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Brussels talks conclude with no deal, Greece still optimistic

First entry: 31 March 2015 - 13:22 Athens, 10:22 GMT
Last update: 05:45 Athens, 02:45 GMTPolitics
Brussels talks conclude with no deal, Greece still optimistic
The Greek delegation which participated in the Brussels Group meeting is returning to Greece and talks will continue in Athens on Wednesday, several media reported on Tuesday, citing sources close to the delegation.
Talks between technical teams are continuing  and are expected to conclude in the weekend, the same sources said, adding that the Greek side has positive expectations about the result of the negotiations.
"The Brussels Group process has been concluded," a government official told Reuters, referring to the informal name of the EU/IMF lenders. "Significant steps of progress were made. The technical teams will continue to collect data in Athens."
A fourth source close to the talks told the agency the halt in negotiations was not a sign of a rupture but an indication of slow-moving progress in the discussions, which may be continued in Athens on Wednesday.
Other government sources told state news agency ANA-MPA the two sides agreed to speed up the fact finding process in Athens, adding a EuroWorking Group teleconference will be held on Wednesday. 
However, on the side of the country's lenders, it is said that it will be very difficult to reach a decision this week, ahead of Catholic Easter this Sunday.
European Council president Donald Tusk has warned that an agreement is unlikely before the Easter break.
Speaking in Madrid, Tusk explained that the technical talks over Greece’s economic reforms are very complex.
Reuters, enikonomia

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