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| Greek debt: IMF leaves talks amid 'major differences' | Greek debt: IMF leaves talks amid 'major differences' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Greece's international creditors have raised the pressure on the Athens government, as IMF negotiators left talks in Brussels and flew home. | Greece's international creditors have raised the pressure on the Athens government, as IMF negotiators left talks in Brussels and flew home. |
| Major differences remained and they were "well away from an agreement", IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters. | Major differences remained and they were "well away from an agreement", IMF spokesman Gerry Rice told reporters. |
| Greece is seeking a cash-for-reform deal, to avoid defaulting on a €1.5bn debt repayment to the IMF. | Greece is seeking a cash-for-reform deal, to avoid defaulting on a €1.5bn debt repayment to the IMF. |
| But the European Council president said there was no more time for gambling and the game would soon be over. | But the European Council president said there was no more time for gambling and the game would soon be over. |
| "The Greek government has to be, I think, a little bit more realistic,'' Donald Tusk said. | "The Greek government has to be, I think, a little bit more realistic,'' Donald Tusk said. |
| Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras held talks with European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Thursday afternoon but little progress was made. | Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras held talks with European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels on Thursday afternoon but little progress was made. |
| The EU and IMF are unhappy with the extent of economic reforms the Athens government is offering in exchange for the release of a final €7.2bn (£5.3bn) in bailout funds. Their bailout deal with Greece runs out at the end of June. | The EU and IMF are unhappy with the extent of economic reforms the Athens government is offering in exchange for the release of a final €7.2bn (£5.3bn) in bailout funds. Their bailout deal with Greece runs out at the end of June. |
| Mr Tsipras's left-wing Syriza party came to power in January on an anti-austerity platform. | Mr Tsipras's left-wing Syriza party came to power in January on an anti-austerity platform. |
| 'Happy ending' | |
| IMF's Gerry Rice in Washington said there had been "no progress" in narrowing differences during the talks between IMF and Greek negotiators in Brussels, and both teams had packed up and left for home. | |
| But he stressed that "the IMF never leaves the table. We remain engaged - but the ball very much is in Greece's court right now." | |
| The BBC's Chris Morris in Brussels said some officials were still hoping that a face-saving agreement could be made before a meeting of eurozone finance ministers next week. | |
| The IMF's departure from the talks could just be a sign that the rhetoric was becoming tougher before a deal was done, but no-one was betting on it, he added. | |
| Greek spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis said in a statement that government negotiators were ready to intensify talks "even in the coming days" and would carry on working on the remaining issues "such as the fiscal issue and the sustainability of the debt". | |
| Earlier in the day, Greek stocks had soared by more than 8% after EU Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said a debt deal was close and needed a "happy ending". | |
| However, as the mood darkened, stock markets elsewhere began to retreat. By then, the Athens market was already closed. |