(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Finance ministers of the 19-member Eurogroup began a meeting to find a solution to Greece's controversial financial aid programme.
German finance minister Wolfgang Schauble voiced his scepticism if a solution would be found today.
"What I've heard so far hasn't been able to strengthen my optimism, obviously there is no result at the moment but we are going to receive a report. I am very sceptical following all that has taken place during the last days because the Greek government doesn't seem to have moved at all," he told journalists ahead of the meeting.
"I don't have to think about options at all but the fact that the programme expires at the end of February, that this programme must be fulfilled and if there is not enough time for its completion we can consider what we can do," he added.
On his part, Pierre Moscovici, EU Commissioner for economic and financial affairs said today's meeting is "of obvious importance and a decisive one both for Greece and the Eurozone and of course we want Greece to remain part of it." "We are going to see which elements of the Greek Programme can and must be included, but it's also fundamentally important that Greece respects its commitments," he told journalists.
The EU and the International Monetary Fund have given a loan of 240 billion euros (USD 273 billion), to save the country form economic collapse but in exchange for the implementation of a hugely unpopular austerity programme.
The programme ends this month but the new Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wants to change the programme arguing that it has damaged Greece more than it has benefited the country.
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