'Greek bailout can be reached,' say Monti, Merkel, Papademos
Leaders look optimistically to Eurogroup Monday
17 February, 14:05
(ANSA) - Berlin, February 17 - Italian Premier Mario Monti,
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Greek Premier Lucas
Papademos believe a deal can be reached on a second Greek
bailout, Monti's office said Friday.
"The three announced they were confident that an accord on
Greece could be reached Monday at the Eurogroup meeting," said
the premier's office after a telephone conference between the
leaders.
Held in Brussels, the Eurogroup is a meeting of finance
ministers from the eurozone.
The impasse over Greece's bailout, which has dragged on for
weeks, has been seen as a sign that European leaders are far
from solving the eurozone debt crisis, provoking instability on
the sovereign-debt market.
Monti, Merkel and Papademos spoke after the German
chancellor called off a visit to Rome when German President
Christian Wulff announced he would step down over a loan
scandal.They will reschedule "as soon as possible," said German spokesman Steffen Seibert. "Our ties with Italy remain very close in these days".
