ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece’s co-ruling conservative New Democracy party wants snap elections as soon as the troubled euro zone member clinches a new bailout deal to avoid a messy default, and no later than April 8, its leader Antonis Samaras told Reuters on Tuesday.

He said Greece was in a long-term depression, rather than just a recession. But he also expects a deal with Greece’s creditors to be agreed by March 5 at the latest.

LONDON/ATHENS (Reuters) – The representatives of Greece’s private creditors left Athens unexpectedly on Saturday without a deal on a debt swap plan that is vital to avert a disorderly default, sources close to the negotiations told Reuters.

Negotiations will continue over the phone during the weekend but it is unlikely that an agreement can be clinched before next week, the sources said, as Athens races against the clock to strike a deal.

LONDON/ATHENS (Reuters) – The representatives of Greece’s private creditors left Athens unexpectedly on Saturday without a deal on a debt swap plan that is vital to avert a disorderly default, sources close to the negotiations told Reuters.

Negotiations will continue over the phone during the weekend but it is unlikely that an agreement can be clinched before next week, the sources said, as Athens races against the clock to strike a deal.

LONDON/ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece and its private bondholders inched closer on Thursday to a vital debt swap deal needed to avoid a messy default by Athens, with both sides saying progress has been made and negotiations would continue on Friday.

Nearly a week after talks hit an impasse over the coupon, or interest payment, that Greece must offer on its new bonds under the swap, there were signs the two sides were moving to overcome their differences as time to strike a deal runs out quickly.

LONDON/ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece and its bondholders have made little progress since resuming stalled talks on a debt swap, three sources close to the talks told Reuters on Thursday, with time to strike a deal and avoid a messy default running out rapidly.

Nearly a week after talks hit an impasse, the two sides remain bogged down over the coupon, or interest payment, that Greece must offer on its new bonds under the swap.

ATHENS, Jan 19 (Reuters) – Greece meets its private
creditors on Thursday for a second day of bargaining on a
crucial bond swap deal, with time running out for reaching a
compromise needed to avoid a default and exit from the euro
zone.

Negotiations between Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and
Charles Dallara, head of the International Institute of Finance
representing private bond holders, resumed on Wednesday after
hitting an impasse last week.

ATHENS, Jan 18 (Reuters) – Greece and its creditors go
back to the drawing board on all terms of a planned debt swap on
Wednesday as they fight to overcome an impasse in talks and
stave off a painful default.

Talks broke down last week over the interest rate Greece
will offer on new bonds and a plan to enforce investor losses.
Both sticking points will be discussed when negotiations resume
at about 1500 GMT in Athens.

BERLIN/ATHENS (Reuters) – Standard & Poor’s downgraded the credit ratings of nine euro- zone countries, stripping France and Austria of their coveted triple-A status but not EU paymaster Germany, in a Black Friday the 13th for the troubled single currency area.

“Today’s rating actions are primarily driven by our assessment that the policy initiatives that have been taken by European policymakers in recent weeks may be insufficient to fully address ongoing systemic stresses in the eurozone,” the U.S.-based ratings agency said in a statement.

BERLIN/ATHENS (Reuters) – Standard & Poor’s downgraded the credit ratings of nine euro- zone countries, stripping France and Austria of their coveted triple-A status but not EU paymaster Germany, in a Black Friday the 13th for the troubled single currency area.

“Today’s rating actions are primarily driven by our assessment that the policy initiatives that have been taken by European policymakers in recent weeks may be insufficient to fully address ongoing systemic stresses in the eurozone,” the U.S.-based ratings agency said in a statement.

BERLIN/ATHENS, Jan 13 (Reuters) – Standard & Poor’s
was poised to downgrade the credit ratings of several euro zone
countries on Friday, including France and Austria but not
Germany or the Netherlands, rattling markets in the first blow
of the new year for the troubled single currency.

In another potential setback, talks on a debt swap by
private creditors seen as key to averting a Greek default that
would rock Europe and the world economy broke up without
agreement in Athens, although officials said more talks are
likely next week.