ATHENS, Greece (AP) – Greece’s prime minister was hoping to meet with the leaders of Germany and France in Brussels Wednesday, in the latest effort to break a bailout negotiation deadlock that has revived fears his country could default and drop out of the euro.
The expected meeting – on the sidelines of a European Union-Latin America summit – comes as the European Commission says Greek proposals for a deal, including additional amendments made this week, are still not good enough to unlock vitally needed bailout funds.
“For this final push the Commission is of the view that the ball is clearly now in the court of the Greek government,” Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said in Brussels.
Greece has three weeks left to conclude a deal with its creditors before its bailout program expires at the end of the month, when it will also have to repay about 1.6 billion euros ($1.8 billion) to the International Monetary Fund. It is desperate for the disbursal of the final 7.2 billion euros in rescue loans, without which it cannot continue to repay its international debts.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is hoping to make headway Wednesday night with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose country is the largest contributor to Greece’s bailout, and French President Francois Hollande.