Obama speaks with Tsipras, Merkel about Greek crisis

Washington, July 8 (IANS) President Barack Obama analysed the Greek situation in telephone calls to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the White House said.

Obama began Tuesday with a phone conversation with Merkel, followed by another call to Tsipras, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at his daily press conference.

The president “reiterated that it is in everyone’s interest that Greece and its creditors reach a mutually-acceptable agreement” to allow Greece to remain in eurozone, although the only way to do that is for all parties to agree on a package deal that will put Greece on the road to financial “sustainability”, Earnest said.

The spokesman acknowledged that the process for achieving that aim “is complicated”, but said the US continued to encourage all parties to participate in “constructive” talks to do so, Efe news agency reported.

About the call to Merkel, the White House said the German leader and Obama discussed the need for “a durable agreement that will allow Greece to resume reforms, return to growth, and achieve debt sustainability within the eurozone”.

“The leaders noted that their economic teams are monitoring the situation in Greece and remain in close contact,” Earnest said.

Greek government officials cited by the media in Athens said Tsipras briefed Obama on the proposal that Greece would present to its creditors.

The call between Obama and Tsipras came one day after US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew telephoned the Greek leader to say that Washington wanted to see a resumption of dialogue between Athens and its creditors.

The meeting of economy and finance ministers from the eurozone nations in the Belgiium’s capital Brussels concluded on Tuesday without Greece presenting any new proposals to resume negotiations with its partners and creditors, although the parties agreed very soon to request a third bailout.