German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he was surprised by Greek officials’ statements that Greece and its creditors are close to an agreement” contradicting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras who said earlier that he is finally close to an agreement with Greece’s international creditors. In an interview with ARD television, the German finance chief said there was not much progress in the Greek debt talks and he was surprised by the upbeat tone from Greece. “One is hearing all this positive news coming from Greece, that’s nice,” Schaeuble said. “But on the substance, we haven’t got much further in the negotiations between the three institutions and the Greek government,” he said. “That is why I’m surprised about what is said in Athens all the time, namely that we were very close to an agreement.” Alexis Tsipras appeared certain for a deal, saying that Greece is in the final stretch with its creditors, after a meeting he had with Greece’s negotiating team headed by Greek Finance minister Yanis Varoufakis. Greece needs an agreement with its creditors as soon as possible in order to receive the emergency cash the country needs to avoid a potential default.
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