Greek PM says 'confident' of debt deal, ESM loan support

[ATHENS] Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday said he was confident of concluding his debt-crippled nation's third international bailout that will pave the way for default-averting loans.

"I am and remain confident that we will succeed in reaching a deal and in loan support (from the European Stability Mechanism)... that will end economic uncertainty," Mr Tsipras said, adding that certain EU states with a "hidden plan to reshape the eurozone using Greece as the excuse" would fail.

Mr Tsipras has hurried his radical left government into finalising the terms of the 85 billion euro (US$93 billion) bailout, which was submitted to parliament for a Thursday vote.

The PM's remarks came as Germany - which has consistently cast doubt on Athens' reform potential - said it needed more time to comb through the 400-page text setting out the fiscal and other policy measures Greece must adopt in exchange for the lifeline.

Greece and its creditors - the EU, the European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund - are under pressure to finalise the deal by next Thursday when Athens must repay some 3.4 billion euros to the ECB.

AFP

Read more on the Greek crisis here