EC President Juncker: 'I exclude failure' in Greek debt talks

By Ilgin Karlidag

BRUSSELS

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said he doesn't want Greek debt talks to fail, in the wake of a war of words between Athens and Berlin. 

Juncker said in a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Friday: "I'm totally excluding a failure. I don't want a failure. This is the time for coming together."

"I really think that it would be possible in the coming weeks to negotiate the matters we have to deal with in a successful way," Juncker added. 

His comments came a day after Greece submitted a formal protest on Thursday to the German Foreign Ministry, and accused German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble of insulting his Greek counterpart Yanis Varoufakis.

Greek media reported Schauble as saying Varoufakis was "foolishly naive" – Schauble denies making the statement.

Tsipras met with the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in separate meetings in Brussels on Friday to discuss decisions made on Feb. 20 by the Eurogroup of finance ministers from the 19 Eurozone countries.

Tsipras said: "I’m very optimistic. I’m always optimistic that we will find a solution because I believe this is in our common interest."

Tsipras also said in a separate joint press conference with European Parliament Martin Schulz on Friday: "I think it is necessary to start implementing ideas in order to resolve the crisis and to find a way to reach a compromise."

"But I think now its time to discuss the future and a future with 60 percent unemployment (in Greece) is no future," Tsipras added.  

The European Central Bank agreed on Thursday to increase the limit on emergency lending assistance it provides to Greek banks by €600 million euros ($637 million).

The Greek government is expected to run out of funds by the end of March if the next tranche of the bailout payment is not made this month.

Greece’s Eurozone partners have refused to write off any of Greece’s official debt. However, Eurozone partners are willing to extend the duration of Greece’s loans if Athens implements the required reforms.

"I believe in the end of the day we will resolve these misunderstandings and our intention is to implement this decision in a constructive way," Tsipras said.