Athens--Greece on Thursday made a 459 million euro ($495 million) loan payment to the IMF after days of uncertainty, but that failed to fully dispel market concerns over its ability to honour its debts.
As the Greek finance ministry said the payment had been authorised, and Athens announced a fresh debt sale to raise cash, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called for an "honourable compromise" that would reopen Greek access to EU-IMF loans.
"I am confident that despite the difficulties, all the forces will come to an honourable compromise," Tsipras said from Moscow during a two-day official visit.
Tsipras' decision to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin -- while his government is locked in loan talks with its EU peers -- has irritated Greece's European partners.
Athens is trying to persuade the EU and IMF to continue lending it money while easing austerity requirements in order to boost economic growth.
After talks with Putin on Wednesday, Tsipras is to meet Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Thursday for further discussions.
Speaking to students at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Tsipras said his priority remained to reach a deal with the EU and keep Greece in the euro.
"The goal of the government is for Greece to remain in the euro. To remain in the eurozone. We consider this problem facing us a common European problem and for this reason we seek a joint European solution," the 40-year-old PM said.
Experts from the IMF and the European Union are scrutinising a list of economic reforms proposed by Athens in a bid to unlock another 7.2 billion euros in loans to stave off possible bankruptcy.
AFP
