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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

ECB board member plays down new Greek bailout

Joerg Asmussen says eurozone will consider measures to support country but no plans to review situation before the spring

The eurozone will consider measures to support Greece as long as it implements its latest bailout, but has no plans to review the situation before next spring, European Central Bank executive board member Joerg Asmussen said on Wednesday.

Asked to comment on a statement by German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble that Greece would need a new bailout package, Asmussen said the issue was not discussed at talks with Greek finance minister Yannis Stournaras during his visit to Athens. "We have not discussed this, we have focused on making the current programme a success, more growth and jobs," he said.

He declined to be drawn into discussion of a third package, saying he had nothing to add to a Eurogroup decision last November that pledged additional assistance to Greece until it regained access to financial markets, as long as it implemented its bailout and generated a primary surplus.

Spokesmen for both Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and Schäuble tried to play down the significance of the remarks, telling reporters that the German position had not changed.

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