Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Tuesday he is optimistic that an agreement will be reached with Greece’s creditors, while repeating that he will resort to a referendum if this deal is too far beyond the limits of the mandate he received from the January 25 elections. Addressing a joint meeting of the ruling coalition Parliamentary group and Political Secretariat, Tsipras also highlighted that the deadlines in negotiations are now extremely pressing. According to sources, he noted that the negotiations are now at a crucial phase but he also appeared confident that an agreement will be reached but only be finally concluded, if this is possible, at the next round of negotiations in June. Doubts were expressed by members of SYRIZA’s Left Platform as to whether an agreement that includes harsh measures could be called an “honorable compromise” and they stressed that the option of a “rupture” in talks with creditors must be on the table. Members of the Political Secretariat noted the need for further discussion on the text of the agreement so that they can be fully briefed and the meeting was interrupted to be resumed next Thursday, after Tsipras returns from Nicosia and a trilateral summit with the leaders of Cyprus and Egypt. (source: ana-mpa)