Chasm between IMF, Berlin on Greek debt relief seems to grow

The chasm between Germany and the International Monetary Fund over the issue of Greece's debt appears to be widening rather than closing, Kathimerini understands, following a meeting of top European and IMF officials on Monday.

A session of the so-called Washington Group -- representatives of Greece's creditors as well as the governments of the major European economies of Germany, France, Spain and Italy -- on Monday simply appeared to highlight the differences of opinion regarding how Greece's debt mountain should be handled.

Germany's stance appeared to be much stricter than it has been in recent months with Berlin insisting that any debt relief be tied to specific terms and conditions.

Specifically, German officials want further debt relief to be given only following approval from certain European parliaments including the Bundestag.

Poul Thomsen, the...