Greece might get more credit from EU after bailout exit - source
By Tom Körkemeier
LUXEMBOURG (Reuters) - Greece might secure a further safety net of credit from its euro zone partners if it manages to meet the strict terms required to exit its bailout at the end of this year, a source close to discussions told Reuters on Monday.
Discussions with Greece, which has had a total of 240 billion euros (189.48 billion pounds) in loans, focussed on a new line of credit with the European Stability Mechanism, the source said.
Germany's Handelsblatt newspaper earlier quoted German government sources saying a precautionary credit could help ensure Athens stuck to a programme of economic reforms prescribed by the EU in return for a bailout of public debt.
The Athens government is in negotiation with EU institutions and the International Monetary Fund ahead of the expiry of its bailout package with the European Union on Dec. 31. Greece has said it wants its bailout to finish when EU funding stops, though the IMF is scheduled to stay through to early 2016.
An exit from supervision by the widely resented international "troika" of lenders -- the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund -- would be popular with voters. Political analysts say a snap election is likely next March.
Euro zone ministers meeting in Luxembourg on Monday warned that, despite improvements, the Greek economy remains fragile.
Separately, Eurogroup chairman, Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem, said any credit extended to Greece after a bailout exit would also be conditional on economic reforms.
The Greek government has been keen to avoid further detailed conditions for reform, which have been deeply unpopular.
Dijsselbloem told reporters it was premature to speak of a precautionary line of credit before a review of Athens' reform efforts by the troika was complete.
There was consensus in the Eurogroup of finance ministers that any Greek exit should be "sustainable", he said.
The disclosure in late 2009 that Greece had cheated on its figures to conceal a massive budget deficit triggered a rolling crisis that nearly tore Europe's monetary union apart.
(Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Louise Ireland)
