Greek proposals no basis for further talks, senior German conservative

[BERLIN] Greece's latest reform proposals are no basis for further negotiations on a third bailout programme, a senior German conservative lawmaker told Reuters on Friday, adding that Greece would do better to aim for a new start with its own currency.

The comments from Hans-Peter Friedrich show the fierce resistance among many German conservatives who have previously backed aid for Greece to granting Athens further support.

"That's all no basis for further negotiations," said Friedrich, deputy parliamentary floor leader for Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives and a member of her Bavarian allies, the Christian Social Union (CSU).

"I think Greece needs a fresh start - with its own currency and with the good-hearted help of all its European partners," Mr Friedrich said, adding that leaders of European Union member states should seriously consider this alternative solution at their summit on Sunday.

Mr Friedrich also criticized French President Francois Hollande, who has hailed Greece's latest reform proposals as serious and credible.

"It looks as if the French socialists want to weaken the fiscal rules now because they realize that they're also not capable of implementing necessary reforms," he said. "We should not allow the Greek chaos to be used to weaken the fiscal rules in Europe further."

Mr Friedrich said until now he had always voted in favour of Greek bailouts in the Bundestag lower house of parliament because he had seen a slim chance that the country could get on the right path.

"Based on everything I have seen so far, I don't see a basis for another bailout," he said, hinting he might vote 'No' if the government should ask the lawmakers for a mandate to negotiate with Athens on a third bailout programme.

REUTERS

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