Eurogroup meeting kicks off with pressure on Greek proposals

The finance ministers of euro zone countries gathered here on Tuesday seeking to fix the Greek debt crisis after Greeks voted "no" to creditors' bailout offer in a referendum on Sunday.

Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem said Tuesday that Greek proposals needed to be "credible" to seek a way out.

"Given the situation after the 'No' vote in Greece, we need to hear from the Greek government first, how they seek a way out, how they think we can come to an agreement, so I am going to listen to my new Greek colleague first," Dijsselbloem told reporters Tuesday before meetings of euro finance ministers and leaders.

"Hopefully, they have today, we will see whether they are credible to seek a way out," the president noted.

Dijsselbloem's opinion was echoed by some finance ministers.

"The pressure is mainly with the Greeks," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said before the crucial meeting, which will be followed by a summit of government leaders from euro zone countries.

"The Greek government has to indicate how they can agree with their creditors," Schaeuble said.

"I am an eternal optimist but I don't think we will have a result today," said Alexander Stubb, the finance minister of Finland.

"It is about listening and learning what the Greek government will do after the referendum," said Stubb, adding that creditors would not put forward any new commitments.

Euclid Tsakalotos, the newly-appointed Greek finance minister sworn in after Sunday's anti-austerity referendum, declined to speak on his way into the meeting. Endit