Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras raised the issue of Greece’s debt in meetings with French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday, noting the need to resolve disagreements among the institutions that perpetuate the uncertainty regarding its sustainability.
Merkel appeared to oppose the launch of any discussion regarding Greek debt relief, say sources. The two leaders met ahead of a EU summit meeting, at which time Merkel referred the Greek government to the Eurogroup, the institutions and the IMF regarding the debt issue. Merkel also noted delays on the Greek side regarding the refugee and migrant crisis.
The chancellor confirmed that her discussion with the Greek prime minister on Friday morning had covered the refugee crisis, the Cyprus issue and the progress made in the Greek program. She made this confirmation in response to a question put forth by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) during a press conference after the end of the EU leaders’ summit.
Earlier in the day, Tsipras met with Hollande who appeared to be more supportive of the Greek position. Government sources state that he expressed the will of the French government for a solution on the debt to be found, recognizing the need to put an end to uncertainty. Moreover, both sides agreed that the disagreements regarding the handling of the debt issue need to be resolved in order to find a solution that will ensure its sustainability. The agreement on debt is also necessary, among others, because it will give a signal that Europe solves its problems.
Tsipras and Hollande agreed that access to the quantitative easing programme is crucial for the recovery of the investment climate in Greece, while the Greek side reiterated its position that the agreements must be respected by all parties, which was accepted by the French side.
Finally, government sources said that Tsipras had a short meeting with British Prime Minister Teresa May, in the framework of bilateral contacts with Member States ahead of the Brexit. In this meeting, the Greek side raised the issue of Greek students and workers in the UK, while they also discussed the Cyprus issue.
In statements following his meeting with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on the sidelines of the European Council meeting in Brussels, French President Francois Hollande said that France encouraged all sides involved, such as the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, to take the necessary decisions regarding Greece’s debt. At the same time, he noted that Greece must fulfill its commitments.
European commitments to Greece over the issue of the debt must be met “as quickly as possible,” he said.
Source: ANA-MPA, Combined sources
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