Juncker : 'Good chance' of a Greek deal

Eurozone finance ministers have a "good chance" of reaching agreement on payment of long-awaited aid to Greece later on Tuesday, the head of the Eurogroup, Jean-Claude Juncker, said. "Greece has delivered. (There are thus) good chances of an agreement," he said. He made his remarks on arriving for a meeting of eurozone finance ministers to discuss payment of 31.2 billion euros ($40 billion) in aid, part of a 130-billion-euro financial assistance package initially granted early this year. The Eurogroup ministers are seeking to reach a framework deal on the long-overdue aid and heal a row with the International Monetary Fund over Greece's debt reduction target. A European source had emphasised on Monday the will to reach a political agreement, but noted that a finalised deal could take a few more days. Greece has been waiting since June for an instalment of aid from a European Union-International Monetary Fund loan it was initially granted early this year. By the end of the year, Greece is also due to receive two more aid payments, worth 5.0 and 8.3 billion euros, in exchange for which it has pledged to implement a series of unpopular austerity budget measures. IMF head Christine Lagarde, who has clashed openly with Juncker on issues related to the Greek rescue plan, says that the gathering is crucial to getting stricken Greece back on its feet and its debt mountain cut sharply to sustainable levels.