Tsipras: Cautious optimism for an agreement

Summing up the developments of the last 24 hours in a press conference, the Prime Minister said that a step has been taken and that a considerable distance in the negotiations has been covered.

Tsipras attributed the change of course in relation to the Eurogroup meeting to the agreement with Jeroen Dijsselbloem to set up two technical committees that will prepare the new agreement.

The Greek prime minister spoke of a social contract, adding that during his speech at the Summit, he called on his partners to develop a trusting relationship and see the political change in Greece as an opportunity and not as a threat. He reiterated that there is neither troika nor memorandum, stressing that no EU leader referred to the troika during the summit.

Greece will negotiate with institutional partners, he stated, mainly the Commission, while it will be in constant consultations with the IMF and the ECB. Tsipras said that lately several scenarios were heard, such as crisis and bankruptcy scenarios in case the extension of the programme was not signed, that have been proved wrong.

The prime minister said that right now the only issue discussed is a new agreement. This means that Greece claims, persuades, cannot be blackmailed and does not blackmail. He also cleared out that the committees have to carry out a technical work, however, their results will be political ones and the new agreement will be political.

Asked why he uses the term "write-down" instead of "write-off", as it was SYRIZA's position, Tsipras said that it is a matter of wording and the essence does not change. The thing is that Greece needs to breathe and if there is no write-down, Greece will not be able to grow.

Tsipras, when asked if it was him that decided to reject the joint statement at Wednesday's Eurogroup, he stated that there was no disagreement with government Vice President Yiannis Dragasakis and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and that was a joint decision.

Replying to a question about the name issue of FYROM, the prime minister said he would seek cooperation and good neighborly relations with all countries of the region and this also applies to FYROM.