ATHENS—The Greek government has the responsibility to
repay its obligations both internally and to its international
creditors, but a deal with its international creditors is needed as
quickly as possible, a government spokesman said Monday.
"There is a compelling need for Greece and it is international
creditors to reach a deal," Gabriel Sakellaridis told reporters. He
added that the government aims to have a deal by the beginning of
June.
"To the point we are in the position to pay our obligations, we
will pay our obligations. It's the government's responsibility to
be in a position to pay its obligations."
His comments come after Interior Minister Nikos Voutsis said
Sunday that the government won't have the money it is due to repay
to the International Monetary Fund next month unless it strikes a
deal with international creditors over further rescue funding.
Mr. Voutsis told privately owned television station Mega that
Greece is scheduled to repay €1.6 billion ($1.76 billion)
to the IMF between June 5-19, but the payments cannot be met. "This
money won't be given," he said. "It doesn't exist."
Mr. Sakellaridis, the spokesman, said the government isn't
considering bundling all the payments the government has to make to
the IMF in one payment at the end of the month.
He added that this option hasn't been proposed by the any of the
institutions overseeing the country's austerity program.
Despite months of negotiations between Greece's leftist-led
government and creditors—the European Union and the
IMF—over the country's bailout, little progress has been
made.
The government spokesman said that any speculation about capital
controls being imposed to Greek banks is "irresponsible."
This possibility simply does not exist," he said.
A delegation of Greek officials is expected to resume
negotiations in Brussels Tuesday with the heads of the institutions
overseeing the country's aid program.
Write to Nektaria Stamouli at nektaria.stamouli@wsj.com
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