Tsipras wants deal to save banks, official says
A Greek government official says Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wants to strike a deal with European creditors at Sunday's summit to avoid a meltdown of the country's teetering banks.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the ongoing talks, said European Central Bank President Mario Draghi has warned eurozone finance ministers that Greek banks are at risk and that the need for a deal is pressing.
Without the prospect of a deal, the ECB will not be able to increase emergency liquidity assistance to Greek banks. It has frozen its help over the past couple of weeks as the banks have stayed closed.
The official also says that some of the creditor proposals, such as a requirement for Greece to deposit 50 billion euros ($56 billion) worth of state-owned assets into a special fund for subsequent sell-off, appear intended to "humiliate" the Greek government.
[AFP]
