Greece working on "credible" reform list to unlock vital aid

Greece's financial team was working on Tuesday on a "credible" updated list of reform proposals to submit to international creditors in coming days in order to unlock vital aid to avert financial meltdown in April, according to Greek Finance Ministry sources.

Greek government spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis told Greek media that the Greek side would submit the fresh list by next Monday the latest.

Meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was wrapping up a two-day visit to Berlin, which according to Sakellaridis was very constructive.

Sakellaridis stressed that Tsipras' talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday evening were positive and that the two sides found common ground to move forward regarding the resolution of the Greek debt crisis.

On Tuesday Tsipras held a series of meetings with other German officials, such as the Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, Minister of Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and leaders of opposition parties.

According to sources in Athens, an extraordinary Eurogroup meeting could convene Friday or Monday to examine the list of proposed reforms.

The European officials would also examine Greece's request for the immediate return of 1.9 billion euros in profits made by European central banks on the purchase of Greek state bonds in recent years, as well as for the release of at least a part of the last tranche of the Greek bailout program which expired in February this year.

According to the February 20 deal which bridged the old bailout with a final arrangement on the Greek crisis in summer, Athens would receive funding after the completion of the review of the reforms in April, but time was pressing.

The debt-laden country's cash reserves are lasting up to early April with no international aid, Tsipras warned European officials a few days ago. Endit