'Difficult' Greece bailout talks halted as deadline looms

Sceptical nations such as Germany demanded more commitments to a reform plan as Greece continues to teeter on the brink of a euro exit.

No supporters watch Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras speaking on TV=. Jean-Paul Pelissier / Reuters

Divided eurozone ministers halted “very difficult” talks on a Greek bailout deal overnight Saturday, with just a day left before a final deadline for an agreement to stop Athens crashing out of the euro.

Sceptical nations such as Germany demanded more commitments to a reform plan, while Finland reportedly decided not to accept any new rescue plan for debt-laden Greece.

The meeting of the Eurogroup, comprising finance ministers from the 19-nation single currency area, in Brussels was supposed to pave the way for all 28 European Union leaders to sign a final agreement at an emergency summit on Sunday night billed as the last chance to keep Greece in the euro.

Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem said the “issue of credibility and trust was discussed” amid widespread suspicion of a Greek government that has offered new reforms just days after voters rejected similar terms in a surprise referendum.

“We haven’t concluded our discussions. It is still very difficult but work is still in progress,” said Mr Dijsselbloem after nine hours of gruelling talks, adding that they would resume Sunday morning at 9am GMT.

Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat warned that Sunday “will be a long day” thanks to the “inconclusive” eurozone talks.

Finnish finance minister Alexander Stubb was more upbeat, despite reports that Finland’s parliament has decided it will not allow the government to accept any new bailout deal for Greece.

“We are making good progress,” he said.

EU Commissioner for economic affairs Pierre Moscovici, who has been among the most sympathetic to Greece’s plight, said: “I am always hopeful.”

The eurozone was meant to give its verdict on leftist Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras’s new reform plan for a third bailout worth more than €80 billion, after creditor institutions said it was a positive step forward.

The proposals, including pension cuts and tax hikes, were approved by the Greek parliament in the early hours of Saturday despite opposition within Mr Tsipras’s ruling radical Syriza party.

But Germany’s hardline finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble poured cold water on early optimism at the start of the talks, accusing Athens of repeatedly reneging on its commitments.

“Definitely we cannot trust promises,” Mr Schaeuble said. “In the last months hope has been destroyed in an incredible way, even up to just a few hours ago.”

A European source said the German finance ministry had even drawn up an “internal paper” for Greece to leave the eurozone for five years if it fails to improve its bailout proposals, but added it was not distributed at the Eurogroup meeting.

Finance minister Michel Sapin of France, which has been Greece’s biggest supporter in efforts to avoid a “Grexit”, said he hoped the talks would “go as far as possible to find a deal”.

A source close to the negotiations said the “climate is not easy” and Greek finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos was is in contact with Athens to see how to restore eurozone confidence in Greece.