Wednesday 8 July 2015

Greece's new finance minister accidentally reveals negotiating plans...

Revealed: Scrawled on hotel note paper and written in English, the plans include phrases such as 'political situation,' 'no triumphalism' and 'message to people'

Greece's new finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos has accidentally revealed the key negotiation tactics he is using during crunch talks with eurozone leaders to discuss Greece's future.
In only his second day in the job, Tsakalotos posed for photographs alongside Dutch finance minister and Eurogroup president, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, but failed to conceal his notes. 

Scrawled on hotel note paper and written in English, the plans include phrases such as 'political situation,' 'no triumphalism' and 'message to people' - which may well have been reminders for the tone Tsakalotos hoped to strike following Greece's historic 'no' vote in Sunday's bailout referendum.
Tsakalotos took over from Greece's charismatic former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis on Monday after he was forced to resign to facilitate the smooth running of negotiations.
Eurozone finance ministers had repeatedly voiced frustration with Varoufakis' often belligerent negotiation style and, following Greece's historic 'no' vote in Sunday's referendum, made it clear that they would rather not have to deal with him during this week's final showdown talks.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras backed the Eurozone leaders, reportedly telling Varoufakis that the best deal for the country would most likely only happen if he stepped aside.
But in only his second day in the job, Tsakalotos faced ridicule for his naivety in accidentally revealing his negotiation tactics to the world's assembled media in Brussels.
Although he is Greece's Finance Minister, Tsakalotos is understood to speak English much better than he speaks Greek as he was born in the Netherlands, raised in Britain, and was educated at the elite St Paul's School in London where George Osborne was also later to attend.

Culled

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