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| Eurozone finance ministers to discuss Greek rescue | Eurozone finance ministers to discuss Greek rescue |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Eurozone finance ministers are due to meet to decide whether Greece has done enough to merit a huge bailout loan. | Eurozone finance ministers are due to meet to decide whether Greece has done enough to merit a huge bailout loan. |
| Athens needs the 130bn euros (£110bn; $170bn) in order to avoid bankruptcy in mid-March, when a huge repayment on its governmental debt must be made. | Athens needs the 130bn euros (£110bn; $170bn) in order to avoid bankruptcy in mid-March, when a huge repayment on its governmental debt must be made. |
| On Sunday Greek PM Lucas Papademos went to Brussels to try to clinch the deal. | On Sunday Greek PM Lucas Papademos went to Brussels to try to clinch the deal. |
| US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the US was encouraging the IMF to support the bailout, but it is not clear how much the IMF will contribute. | US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said the US was encouraging the IMF to support the bailout, but it is not clear how much the IMF will contribute. |
| The rescue plan would also write off 100bn euros of debt, with private lenders accepting a 70% reduction in what Greece owes them. | The rescue plan would also write off 100bn euros of debt, with private lenders accepting a 70% reduction in what Greece owes them. |
| Eurozone doubts | Eurozone doubts |
| Five straight years of recession have left Greece with a debt that is more than 160% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). | Five straight years of recession have left Greece with a debt that is more than 160% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). |
| Eurozone leaders and the IMF said in October that Greece's debt should be reduced to the more sustainable level of 120% of GDP by 2020. | Eurozone leaders and the IMF said in October that Greece's debt should be reduced to the more sustainable level of 120% of GDP by 2020. |
| Successive rounds of austerity measures, demanded by the EU, the IMF and the European Central Bank - Greece's international creditors, have failed to restore growth and have provoked clashes between protesters and police. | Successive rounds of austerity measures, demanded by the EU, the IMF and the European Central Bank - Greece's international creditors, have failed to restore growth and have provoked clashes between protesters and police. |
| Measures passed by parliament last week set out 3.3bn euros worth of cuts to salaries and pensions, and health and defence spending. | Measures passed by parliament last week set out 3.3bn euros worth of cuts to salaries and pensions, and health and defence spending. |
| Several thousand people protested in Athens on Sunday against further cuts agreed to by Mr Papademos' cabinet on Saturday - but the numbers were far reduced from the tens of thousands who protested last week. | Several thousand people protested in Athens on Sunday against further cuts agreed to by Mr Papademos' cabinet on Saturday - but the numbers were far reduced from the tens of thousands who protested last week. |
| Some eurozone finance ministers doubt Greece's commitment to its spending pledges and want strong mechanisms to ensure its debts are paid. | Some eurozone finance ministers doubt Greece's commitment to its spending pledges and want strong mechanisms to ensure its debts are paid. |
| It is not yet clear how the eurozone intends to keep the pressure on Greece to ensure it fulfils its commitments, says the BBC's Europe editor, Gavin Hewitt. | It is not yet clear how the eurozone intends to keep the pressure on Greece to ensure it fulfils its commitments, says the BBC's Europe editor, Gavin Hewitt. |
| And, he adds, there are doubts that even with the bailout Greece will be able to reduce its debt to a sustainable level. | And, he adds, there are doubts that even with the bailout Greece will be able to reduce its debt to a sustainable level. |
| Funds from elsewhere may need to be found. | Funds from elsewhere may need to be found. |
| On Wednesday, the eurozone finance ministers said Greece had made "substantial progress", but demanded more detail, including a full timeline for implementing the measures. | On Wednesday, the eurozone finance ministers said Greece had made "substantial progress", but demanded more detail, including a full timeline for implementing the measures. |
| Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the so-called Eurogroup, said more work was needed to strengthen oversight of how Greece would implement its austerity plans. | Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the so-called Eurogroup, said more work was needed to strengthen oversight of how Greece would implement its austerity plans. |
| This would be the second bailout for Greece. A first rescue fund of 110bn euros in 2010 was not enough to avert the crisis. | This would be the second bailout for Greece. A first rescue fund of 110bn euros in 2010 was not enough to avert the crisis. |
| Are you in Greece or another of the Eurozone countries? What is your reaction to the possibility of a new bailout loan? You can send your comments to the BBC using the form below: |