EU Summit "thriller"

The postponement of the EU Summit meeting on Sunday was categorically denied by Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs of the EU, Olli Rehn.

“The EU has no plans to postpone the meetings of EU leaders and the Eurozone”, he characteristically stated, contradicting in the most formal manner reports in the German newspaper Die Welt stating that Germany might delay the meeting because of disagreements with France on how to leverage the EFSF.

Ignorance about a request for postponement of the Summit was expressed by representatives of the governments of Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Austria, while at the same time a more recent Reuters telegram talks of a second summit next Sunday so that France and Germany can irrevocably agree to strengthen the EFSF and also reach an agreement on the Greek support plan.

A Greek government official allegedly told the agency that not only have they no official information of a postponement of the Summit, but also the Greek team are preparing to travel to Brussels for tomorrow’s meeting of the Eurogroup and its work in view of the summit meeting this weekend.

Moreover, the Greek Ambassador at the Permanent Representation to the EU informed us that there has been no discussion about postponement.

During the cabinet meeting, there was a detailed discussion of developments in Europe and related recommendations on the part of Mr. Papandreou and Mr. Venizelos in view of the summit.

The PM and the deputy PM briefed the ministers on the stance adopted by the Greek government in Brussels and the direction which it will take, while there was unanimous support of the negotiating team by the ministers.