Thursday, July 2, 2015

Greece: 5 days of grueling negotiations and now the wait – The World

Le Monde | • Updated | By

Alexis Tsipras, with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, in April 2015 in Brussels.

The urgency, in the “Greek case” is now waiting. A let elapse without doing anything, the three days that separate us from the referendum Sunday, July 5, programmed by Athens to ask the Greeks if they approve or not the draft agreement put forward by the country’s creditors.

For the door, which was slightly ajar earlier this week between the Greek government and its creditors – the International Monetary Fund (IMF), European Central Bank (ECB), European Commission – was abruptly closed . Wednesday 1 st July

German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared: no negotiations, no agreement before the referendum. The Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, has again called to vote no in the referendum on the agreement “reforms against new money.” And the Eurogroup (meeting of ministers of euro zone finance), noting that double no, closed the door behind.

However, once past the surprise of announcement (June 26 in the night) the referendum, a number of players in the dossier had sought to bring the parties together and reach an agreement.

Monday, Tuesday and again Wednesday morning, President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, French President François Hollande and President of the Eurogroup Jeroen Dijsselbloem have been to maneuver.

At the risk of being criticized by those which in Germany or among the finance ministers of the euro area, had already made their decision, considering that it was late, nor useful, discuss with Athens before the result of the Greek popular vote on Sunday .

Account of the five days.

Friday, June 26, the surprise announcement of a

During the night from Friday to semedi June 27, Alexis Tsipras announced a referendum on July 5 on the plan proposed by the creditors.

The negotiations had resumed between Athens and its creditors since the beginning of the week, to find a land reforms of the Agreement to implement in Greece that would release 7.2 billion euros of aid.

Between Monday 22 and Friday 26 June, three meetings of Ministers of finances of the euro area (Eurogroup), a summit of heads of state and government of the euro zone and a European council have succeeded. On Friday, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker pass 14 hours negotiating with the Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras.

But at night, Alexis Tsipras announced a referendum on July 5 the plan proposed by the creditors. The decision is made after the sudden return of Brussels Alexis Tsipras, who consults for five long hours his cabinet – and gets its almost unanimous support

The effect of surprise is total.. The Elysee and the Berlin chancellery are warned Friday evening, while Alexis Tsipras took the morning a trilateral meeting with François Hollande and Angela Merkel on the sidelines of the European Council. Jean-Claude Juncker received the news that when she awoke Saturday morning, assures his entourage.

In fact, the idea of ​​the referendum was discussed by Alexis Tsipras and his close associates for the past few days . “When we understood, Tuesday, June 23, that creditors would not give us anything, we were very disappointed and we thought the referendum” , says one to the Greek government.

Read also: In Athens, the quarrel face “the referendum will divide us”

Saturday, June 27, the end of the aid plan

The Eurogroup meeting in Brussels in the afternoon, rejects Greek request for an extension of the aid plan that has Athens. The financial assistance agreement in progress with Greece will expire on June 30

Sunday, June 28, the introduction of capital controls

After the announcement of the implementation of capital control measures, as well as closure of banks until July 7, Greeks rush at bank counters which are closing one after the other.

Alexis Tsipras announces that it reformulated the request for an extension of aid to the country program. The application was addressed to the President of the European Council and the leaders of the 18 member states of the eurozone, the President of the ECB, the Commission and the European Parliament.

In the post -Midi, the European Central Bank decided to keep its emergency funding line (known as ELA) to Greek banks, but it does not fall within the ceiling.

Alexis Tsipras retreats with his cabinet meets with governor of the Greek Central Bank and confirmed in the evening setting up the day after the capital control measures, as well as closure of banks until July 7.

The Greeks rush in banks that are closing one after the other

Read decryption:. Greece: what is capital controls?



Monday, June 29, the appeal to non Alexis Tsipras

In a television interview, Alexis Tsipras called for a non-solid, arguing that this will allow the government to be in a strong position to negotiate.

Jean-Claude Juncker say tough talk at midday. He says betrayed by Alexis Tsipras and calls the Greeks to vote yes in the referendum. He warned earlier François Hollande of the content of his remarks.

Later in the evening, Jean-Claude Juncker called Alexis Tsipras requiring him to call to vote yes in the referendum and to send new proposals the Eurogroup. Greek Prime Minister says he will think.

But a little later, in an interview on television, Alexis Tsipras called for a non massive, arguing that this would allow the Government of be in a strong bargaining position. It also ensures that if a yes vote, there will not be prime minister at any cost

Jean-Claude Juncker sends a text message to offer him a way out. Accept the conditions of creditors; request an extension of the assistance program before midnight on Monday; request a statement of the Eurogroup, which promise to review the Greek debt in October 2015.

Tuesday, June 30, the two letters of the Greek government

Alexis Tsipras sent two letters to creditors, where he details the list of reforms to be implemented in Greece and requests the establishment of a third aid package and a debt renegotiation.

New Series discussions between Alexis Tsipras and Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz and finally Paris. Following these discussions, Alexis Tsipras sent two letters to creditors, one after 22:30.

In the first document, details the “prior actions”, that is to say, the list of reforms to be implemented in Greece and the implementation dates. This list, a few amenities close, is close to the conditions set by creditors last week.

In the second document, the Greek prime minister asks creditors the establishment of a third plan using about 30 billion euros over two years, and a renegotiation of debt.

Jean-Claude Juncker convinced Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the president of the Eurogroup, to call a meeting emergency finance ministers of the euro area. It takes place 17 hours by phone. Jean-Claude Juncker and Jeroen Dijsselbloem Alexis Tsipras will hope this time call for a vote yes or withdraw its referendum.

The latter resumes negotiations. When the opposition accuses the government of not knowing where he is, Alexis Tsipras told Greek state television that the “referendum is just one more step on the path of negotiations”

At this time, in his cabinet, it is the moderate line Vice President Yannis Dragassakis who booming: we must enjoy the shock of the announcement the referendum to try to wrest by the end of the week an agreement last chance. Even then cancel the referendum.



Wednesday 1 July, Merkel not of any agreement before the vote

German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that there will be no discussion and no agreement before the end of the referendum process.

Greece did not repay tHe 1.6 billion it owed the Fund International Monetary (IMF) before midnight on June 30

Jean-Claude Juncker called Hollande by telephone. The French president is pushing for an agreement, talks about debt. France, for weeks, is pushing for a global agreement with Athens, also addressing the issue of renegotiating the repayment terms of the debt, a Greek insistent request. Jean-Claude Juncker is also willing to talk about debt

At noon, Francois Hollande officially stated its position. “We must be clear, the agreement, it is now! “, he said.

In the late morning, Alexis Tsipras warned that it will again address the nation. But his speech is delayed. In fact, the Greek Prime Minister expects that the German Chancellor speaks to the Bundestag in Berlin. “We’ll never know what Tsipras was about to say before, but he adjusted his text based on what Merkel says” , understands a government source.

In this instance, German Chancellor categorically announced that there will be no discussion and no agreement before the end of the referendum process

Read the story. The crisis Greek puts the Franco-German tandem test

In the late afternoon, sounded by the firmness of Angela Merkel, Greek Prime Minister chose to emphasize “no” pushing , also the referendum after the conclusion of an agreement.

Later, the Eurogroup, which was to examine the Greek request to open a third aid package, rejects it on the grounds that the Greek government, which campaigned for the no to the proposed agreement, can not simultaneously continue to negotiate.

This is the end of hope for a last-minute deal. In the entourage of Alexis Tsipras, the hard line, which does not believe in “compromise at any cost” , takes over.

The Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and the Minister of State, Nikos Pappas on the frontline and explain to the Greeks why it is more necessary than ever to vote no in the referendum.

The goal for the Greek government now is to get the score as large as possible on Sunday to strengthen its legitimacy in Brussels. For now the polls place the non leading. For the first time, a survey on Tuesday before the last Wednesday remarks Alexis Tsipras 1 st of July, gave the advantage to yes.

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