Die Welt: Schaeuble considering compromise with IMF over Greek program

News out of Germany, the Eurozone's economic locomotive and "paymaster", regarding ongoing negotiations over the Greek program and standing differences between the IMF and European creditors continued over the weekend, with Die Welt, for instance, citing a looming "compromise."

The mass German daily claims powerful German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble is seeking a compromise with the Fund over Greek debt relief details before the general election in Germany in October.

According to Die Welt, Schaeuble has asked the ministry's services to consider the parameters of a possible compromise with the IMF over the Greek debt as a precautionary measure.

"The Germans would be willing to back down on the following IMF demand: for the government to offer a detailed document on the measures for (Greek) debt relief," Die Welt writes.

The report coincides with statements over the weekend by Schaeuble himself, who said a conclusion of the second review of the Greek program is possible by the latest "unofficial deadline" of May 22. He repeated that the condition for such an agreement would be adherence, on the part of the Tsipras government, of previous measures.

He also referred to progress in reforms and said the latest fiscal figures released by Athens were positive.

In a diametrically opposed position, the head of Germany's Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP), Christian Lindner, charged that "Greece was dragging Germany and Europe by the nose," in statements to German national radio. He also expressed doubt over whether Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will implement the reforms his government has passed.   

The FDP leader, nevertheless, expressed support for a "haircut" of the Greek debt but quickly added that "this is done outside the Eurozone".