Jack Lew

The first six months of the leftist-led SYRIZA government cost Greece around 200 billion euros,  former Euro Working Group chief Thomas Wieser told the Delphi Economic Forum on Friday, describing that estimate as "safe" and "conservative."

The first six months of the leftist-led SYRIZA government cost Greece around 200 billion euros,  former Euro Working Group chief Thomas Wieser told the Delphi Economic Forum on Friday, describing that estimate as "safe" and "conservative."

Greek officials are hoping to secure a public expression of support for debt relief from outgoing US President Barack Obama when he visits Athens next week, with government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos on Friday underlining the "extremely significant" role of the US in global economic developments.

My typical Sunday morning. Browsing through the news. Through commentaries on Turkey, on Greece, on Europe, on the United States, on the world. Trying to absorb and focus. Focus and evaluate. Evaluate and comment.

US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew on Friday pressed Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos to push for a swift conclusion to Greece's current bailout review so talks can be launched on finally relieving some of the country's debt burden.

The management of the Greek public debt continues to fuel tensions between the IMF and Germany, as the former, via Christine Lagarde, reiterated once more that any prospect of the Fund staying on board the Greek bailout program would be dependent on a debt restructuring.

US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew insisted Thursday that restructuring is the only answer to Greece's unsustainable debt.

Speaking during an event at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington DC, Lew said that "the only consistent answer to a non-sustainable debt is its restructuring."

The need for a restructuring of public debt as soon as possible emphasized the United States Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew, at an event in Washington for a the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund. Giving an answer to “K” he said: “We have been involved in Greece’s matters and its debts for a long period of time. Thankfully, we are not in a phase of a direct crisis.

US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew underlined the need for Greece and its creditors (EU and IMF) to work constructively together in order to complete the first program review during his phone contact with Greek PM Alexis Tsipras.

Greek Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos had a series of meetings in Washington during the IMF-World Bank summit in an effort to present his views on the progress of negotiations between the country and its lenders. On the sidelines of the Summit, Tsakalotos met with IMF Director Christine Lagarde and agreed that the IMF representatives would return to Athens next week.