Influential German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was the latest top Eurozone official to express optimism over a looming conclusion to year-long negotiations between Athens and creditors to conclude the second review of the ongoing Greek program.
Schaeuble's comment comes a day before yet another "unofficial deadline" for concluding a staff-level agreement between the two sides approaches. Leftist Greek government officials, ministers and even the prime minister have pointed to the April 7 Eurogroup meeting in Malta as the date by which an agreement will have been achieved at the experts' level -- the necessary precursor for EZ finance ministers' "green light" at the Eurogroup setting.
Friday is April 7.
In a subsequent caveat, however, Schaeuble added that he has no idea if the staff-level agreement will be presented on Friday at the Eurogroup.
Meanwhile, back in Athens, the state-run news agency reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel herself was working towards a compromise-solution to achieve a conclusion to the utterly delayed second review of the third Greek bailout.
According to the same reports, Merkel spoke with Greek PM Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday, following a meeting in Athens between the latter and visiting EU Council President Donald Tusk.
Still in Athens, the government spokesman also expressed optimism, telling local reporters that a "very positive development is quite possible", as he spoke ahead of the Friday Eurogroup session in Valletta.
Meanwhile, Schaeuble is expected to meet with Eurogroup chairman Jeroen Dijsselbloem on Thursday, where the Greek program is expected to be discussed.
