The German government seems to have opened the door for a last-minute deal between Greece and its international creditors, said the German spokesperson for Chancellor Angela Merkel. According to a report in Germany’s The Local, Greece’s request for a loan extension shows that the Greek government is willing to make compromises. Also, Angela Merkel and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had a long telephone conversation on Thursday evening. “From the German government’s point of view, (the request) is still not sufficient, but it certainly offers a starting point for further talks,” said Christiane Wirtz, spokeswoman for the German chancellor. On Thursday, Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis requested an extension of financial aid for six months, agreeing to accept further supervision from the European Union, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. Speaking to Reuters Thursday, an anonymous Greek official said he was confident that a deal would be reached, saying that Greece had “covered four fifths of the distance” by making compromises. “They also need to need to cover one fifth,” he added, saying that Greece would not back down to further pressure from the Eurogroup on Friday. According to The Local, “there was some evidence on Thursday night of divisions within Germany’s governing Christian Democratic Union (CDU) – Social Democratic Party (SPD) coalition, with SPD leader and Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel offering a softer tone towards Greece.” “I’m happy that Greece has made it clear that they want a new program. I don’t think we should say yes or no too quickly,” Mr. Gabriel said on Thursday.
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