German mass daily Handelsblatt this week claimed it has a German finance ministry document in its possession warning that any "freeze" in interest rates tacked on to Greek loans until 2040 could cost creditors up to 140 billion euros.
In an extensive report on the Greek debt issue, Handelsblatt said the ministry and FinMin Wolfgang Schaeuble are following an "extremely defensive position".
The Dusseldorf-based newspaper said the prospect of a long-term freeze of interest rates -- one of several debt relief measure often cited for Athens -- has been characterized by German finance ministry officials as essentially "new and extended loans".
