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Greece wants 'fair solution' to debt offer stalemate

Greece wants to find a "viable and fair solution" with its EU and IMF lenders to agree an aid package, a government official has said.

On Friday, Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras labelled a cash for reforms offer by the debts-seeking EU as "absurd".

Earlier, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said a Greek exit from the single currency area is not an option but that does not me he could "pull a rabbit out of a hat" to prevent it.

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Greek PM condemns EU's latest debt proposal as 'absurd'

Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras has labelled a cash for reforms offer by the debts-seeking EU as "absurd" and urged his country's international creditors to think again.

Tsipras told the Greek parliament a proposal by Athens made earlier this week was the only realistic basis for a deal.

"The proposals submitted by lenders are unrealistic," Tsipras said. "The Greek government cannot consent to absurd proposals."

Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras sent out a clear message to the EU as he addressed the Greek parliament two days after his meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels. Credit: REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

His speech came two days after Greece's international creditors signalled they were ready to compromise to avert a default, while Athens warned it might skip an IMF loan repayment that was due this week.

The IMF subsequently agreed to bundle Greece's latest debt repayments into a single one due on June 30th.

Mr Tsipras said despite his opposition to the latest proposal, Greece remains closer to a deal than ever before.

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Greece wants 'fair solution' to debt offer stalemate

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