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Greek official says debt talks 'satisfactory,' delayed by labour reforms

By: Demetris Nellas,Derek Gatopoulos, The Associated Press

Posted: 02/4/2012 6:07 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies) | Last Modified: 02/4/2012 9:06 PM

A pedestrian passes a beggar off Athens' main Syntagma Square, on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012. Unions and employers' associations in Greece on Friday rejected private-sector wage cuts, as demanded by the country's international bailout lenders if Athens is to receive a crucial, second rescue package. The impasse appeared to be holding up final negotiations for massive new debt agreements _ a eurozone finance ministers' meeting, which had been expected for Monday to back the new proposals, was postponed to later in the week. (AP Photo/Dimitri Messinis)

ATHENS, Greece - A senior Greek official said late Saturday that debt talks needed to avoid bankruptcy in March have reached "a satisfactory level of agreement" but are being held up by a disagreement over drastic labour reforms.

The official, with close knowledge of the negotiations between the government and rescue creditors, said that other issues had been resolved following a "superhuman negotiation."

He asked not to be named because the talks are ongoing.

Debt inspectors representing eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund are pushing for tougher austerity measures and private sector pay cuts before approving a new €130 billion ($171 billion) bailout deal.

Unions and employers' associations in Greece strongly oppose cuts in private wages, warning it would deepen a recession, already in its fourth year, with unemployment topping 19 per cent.

"The (debt inspectors) want to make Greece more competitive and they have a certain view on how that should be done. We do not have the same view," the official said.

European officials, meanwhile, piled pressure on Greece to accept more austerity.

Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker told the German news magazine Der Spiegel, that the danger of bankruptcy in March should give the Greeks "muscles where they now still have some symptoms of paralysis."

Without the necessary reforms, he said, Greece should not expect continued "solidarity efforts from the others."

Prime Minister Lucas Papademos held a six hour meeting with EU-IMF debt inspectors Saturday, a day before he is due to meet leaders of political parties supporting his coalition government — which all also oppose wage cuts in the private sector.

His finance minister, Evangelos Venizelos, joined the talks after a day of crisis meetings with Cabinet colleagues and a two-hour conference call with eurozone finance ministers, joined by IMF chief Christine Lagarde and European Central Bank President Mario Draghi.

Without additional international support, Greece would go bankrupt, since it is unable to cover a €14.5 billion ($19.1 billion) bond repayment on March 20.

Tied to the new bailout deal is a proposed agreement with banks and private investors who hold some €200 billion ($263.2 billion) of Greece's debt that would slash the country's borrowing costs and save it from a default. The investors would forgive €100 billion ($131.6 billion) of the debt in exchange for a cash payout and new bonds with more favourable repayment terms.

Top bank negotiators arrived in Athens on Saturday night for more talks, and are to be joined by Josef Ackermann, the CEO of Germany's Deutsche Bank.

Venizelos said negotiations for both landmark rescue deals had to be completed by late Sunday.

"There is a very small margin separating a successful end in (negotiations) from an impasse that could be due to a misunderstanding," he said.

"We stand at the razor's edge."

Juergen Baetz in Berlin and Geir Moulson in Munich contributed to this report.

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