Greek leaders launch bid to break political deadlock

ATHENS – Greek leaders were poised yesterday for a fresh round of talks to break the political deadlock over efforts to form a unity government and keep crisis-ravaged Greece in the eurozone.

Amid dire warnings that Athens is fast running out of time to implement a crucial EU bailout plan designed to save Greece from bankruptcy, Prime Minister George Papandreou has offered to step down in favour of a coalition government.But Antonis Samaras, leader of the main conservative opposition party, has snubbed the proposal, calling instead for ‘immediate’ elections.Papandreou in turn has dismissed the idea of early polls as a ‘catastrophe’ and said the bickering was giving the rest of Europe the impression that Greece did not want to stay in the 17-nation eurozone.’The application of this deal is the precondition for us staying in the euro. It’s as important as that,’ he told reporters on Saturday after visiting President Carolos Papoulias.Papandreou was referring to a rescue package thrashed out in late October after tortuous negotiations in Brussels that would see banks write off half their holdings of Greek debt and would offer massive loans to keep the country afloat.Meanwhile, polls published in the Sunday papers showed that the people are largely in favour of a unity government and passionately want to keep the euro.The eurozone finance ministers will today debate whether the conditions are in place to release an eight-billion-euro slice of bailout cash that Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos says is needed by December 15. – Nampa-AFP

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