Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is expected to meet German and French leaders in Riga this week to try to win consent for a joint statement that could give him more leeway in talks with international lenders and give a breath of air to his cash-strapepd government. Tsipras is expected to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande on the sidelines of the EU’s 4th Eastern Partnership summit in Latvia’s capital on Thursday and Friday to press Greece’s demand for a statement that will clearly point to an agreement on bailout extension between Athens and its creditors, according to international news outlets. Greek daily Vima said that such reference would enable the European Central Bank to resume lending to the Greek economy by allowing Greek banks to buy Treasury bills that will serve like cash injections. According to The Guardian, Merkel and Tsipras are likely to discuss “a four-month extension of Greece’s current bailout” in exchange for reforms by the Greek government. The British daily quoted “well-placed German officials” as saying the prospect of Athens being given “a four-month breather” that would allow it to draw a detailed list of reforms “is now being studied seriously.” Athens hopes to strike a deal on bailout extension in days but its creditors are less upbeat and say talks are moving too slowly for that. Negotiations have been stalled by Greece’s demand to roll back labour and pension reforms. Greece could not make a debt payment to the International Monetary Fund on 5 June unless foreign creditors disbursed fresh aid, Reuters quoted a senior lawmaker from Tsipras’ SYRIZA party as saying on Wednesday. The summit in Riga will bring together top EU officials and leaders of the member states and those of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
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