German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he’s “rather skeptical” that Greece and its euro-area partners will have a draft deal in time for a May 11 meeting. Although negotiations seem more “constructive” than in the past.
“We have no other mandate.” While “so much time has been wasted” in negotiations with Greece “things seem to be better” now, he said.
Schaeuble said on Tuesday that Germany doesn’t want Greece to leave the euro and will “within the
range of our possibilities do everything” to avoid a Greek sovereign
default.
“But that doesn’t mean we’re ready to do anything and everything” to keep Greece in the joint currency, he said.
While negotiations between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s government and creditors go on, Schaeuble said he and Dutch Finance Minister
Jeroen Dijsselbloem, who chairs meetings of his euro-area counterparts, are planning to meet in Berlin on Wednesday to discuss Greece.
Meawhile, as Tsipras's office said, he and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed issues related to a possible deal in a phone call on Monday.
Germany is ready to help avoid a Greek default “Within the framework
of what we have agreed,” Germany is ready to help avoid a Greek default, Schaeuble said.
