Greek talks to begin after 'technical' issues ironed out


              Tourists read a flyer atop the Acropolis ancient hill in Athens on Friday, July 24, 2015.  Discussions over Greece's third bailout in five years are set to begin in Athens imminently after Greece's parliament approved Thursday tough new conditions set by European creditors. Officials in Athens and at the European Union said negotiators are expected to start arriving on Friday, marking the first time high-level talks will be held in the Greek capital since Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' left-wing government assumed power in late January. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)
Tourists read a flyer atop the Acropolis ancient hill in Athens on Friday, July 24, 2015. Discussions over Greece's third bailout in five years are set to begin in Athens imminently after Greece's parliament approved Thursday tough new conditions set by European creditors. Officials in Athens and at the European Union said negotiators are expected to start arriving on Friday, marking the first time high-level talks will be held in the Greek capital since Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' left-wing government assumed power in late January. (AP Photo/Giannis Papanikos)

ATHENS, Greece (AP) - High-level talks between Greece and its European creditors on a third bailout for the cash-strapped country have been delayed until logistical matters are sorted out.

Greek government spokeswoman Olga Gerovasili sought to downplay talk that security concerns are a reason why European negotiators won't now arrive in Athens until Saturday at the earliest. They had been expected Friday.

The delay, she said, is related to "technical issues" and that the security of negotiators isn't one of them.

A European official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations, said final preparations regarding the structure of the talks were being ironed out but that discussions at a technical level were taking place between Greece and representatives from the country's creditors.

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Casert reported from Brussels.

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