Greece and creditors 'very close' to a deal, says minister

Athens

GREECE and its international creditors were "very close" to a loan deal for the cash-strapped country, a Greek junior minister said Sunday, a day ahead of a key meeting in Brussels. "After weeks of painful negotiation, if the other side is willing, it will become apparent that... the deal is very close and will be sealed in the coming period," Euclid Tsakalotos, one of Greece's main negotiators, told Avgi daily. Mr Tsakalotos, a junior foreign minister, said Athens and its creditors were "politically apart" on labour and pension issues and that some areas "will remain open until the last minute".

At a meeting of eurozone finance ministers on Monday, Greece is hoping for a "positive statement" on negotiations that will allow for a section of 7.2 billion euros (S$10.7 billion) in remaining bailout loans to be released, officials have said.