Greece not 'out of woods' yet says top EU official

The world’s top finance ministers and central-bank chiefs meeting in Dresden this week are already struggling to stick to an agenda set by their German hosts that doesn’t mention Greece.

Brussels (AFP) - European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker believes an agreement on a third bailout for Greece is likely this month, hopefully by August 20 when Athens must make a key debt repayment.

Athens (AFP) - Greece's finance minister hailed Thursday a "turn in the tide" following an extension of the stricken eurozone country's bailout but warned of problems ahead in meeting billions of euros in debt repayments.

ATHENS — The European Central Bank was checking up on how well Greece is meeting its international bailout obligations on Wednesday, a day after Germany’s finance minister said a third aid programme would be needed to keep Athens afloat. Joerg Asmussen, a member of the ECB’s executive board, was to meet Greece’ prime minister, finance minister and central bank governor, and to have talks with Greek business leaders.

ATHENS — Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras appealed to his party’s lawmakers on Friday to back a tough reforms package after abruptly offering last-minute concessions to try to save the country from financial meltdown. After walking into a party meeting to applause, Tsipras rallied his Syriza lawmakers to throw their weight behind the new proposals ahead of a snap vote in parliament on the negotiations, urging them to help keep Greece in the euro. “We are confronted with crucial decisions,” a government official quoted Tspiras telling his Syriza lawmakers.

ATHENS/BRUSSELS — Greece formally requested a six-month extension to its euro zone loan agreement on Thursday, offering major concessions as it raced to avoid running out of cash within weeks and overcome resistance from skeptical partners led by Germany. With its EU/IMF bailout program due to expire in little more than a week, the government of leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras urgently needs to secure a financial lifeline to keep the country afloat beyond late March.

Brussels (AFP) - Greek and EU-IMF negotiators were locked in last-chance talks on Sunday to avert a default by Athens that could pave the way for a catastrophic exit by Greece from the euro and sow economic chaos in Europe.