ATHENS |
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek leaders face crunch talks on Tuesday to secure a new international bailout and avoid a chaotic debt default, caught between EU demands that they accept painful reforms now and a national strike against more austerity.
Prime Minister Lucas Papademos negotiated through most of the night with Greece’s European Union and IMF lenders, ending at 4 a.m. (0200 GMT) when the 24-hour strike was about to begin, closing ports and tourist sites and disrupting public transport.
Papademos, a technocrat parachuted in to lead the Greek government late last year, must persuade leaders of the three parties in his coalition government to accept the EU/IMF conditions for the 130-billion-euro ($170-billion) rescue.
“We must find a solution today,” said one government official before the leaders’ talks, which are expected to start later in the day.
With Greece’s future in the euro zone in question, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Athens on Monday to make up its mind fast if it would
Read More from the Article Source: Full Article
