Greece’s Tsipras seeks control over party with emergency congress / IMF ‘will not join Greece bailout until debt concerns are addressed’ / Tsipras says Greece in ‘final stretch’ for deal with creditors

Greece's rulling Syriza party held an internal meeting on 30 July 2015 and decided to back a proposal for an emergency party congress. This was part of a strategy by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to test his control over those lawmakers who rebelled against the agreement he had reached with Greece's creditors regarding a new bailout earlier in July 2015.

Amidst the political turmoil, and the continuing technical discussions between Greece and international creditors in late July and August 2015, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) suggested it would not take part in the new bailout to Greece unless a deal was reached on making the Greek debt sustainable.

An IMF official said on the 30 July 2015 'the IMF can only support a program that is comprehensive ... a program that ensures medium-term sustainability'.

EU and Greek officials spoke of an increasing expectation that an agreement on a new bailout could be agreed by the crucial date of 20 August 2015 when Greece was due to repay the European Central Bank €3.2bn and thus needed funds to be released by a new bailout agreement.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Troika returns to Athens. Tsipras warns Syriza anti-bailout rebels of possible early Greece election http://www.europeansources.info/record/troika-returns-to-athens-tsipras-warns-syriza-anti-bailout-rebels-of-possible-early-greece-election/

EUObserver, 31.07.15: Doubts emerge on IMF participation in Greek bailout https://euobserver.com/economic/129808

Kathimerini, 31.07.15: IMF 'will not join Greece bailout until debt concerns are addressed' http://www.ekathimerini.com/200112/article/ekathimerini/business/imf-will-not-join-greece-bailout-until-debt-concerns-are-addressed

The Wall Street Journal, 30.07.15: Greece’s Syriza Will Hold Emergency Congress in September http://www.wsj.com/articles/greek-prime-minister-alexis-tsipras-calls-for-syriza-party-vote-to-address-divisions-over-bailout-1438264372

Deutsche Welle, 31.07.15: Greece's Syriza to hold emergency congress http://dw.com/p/1G7lS

The Guardian, 30.07.15: IMF will refuse to join Greek bailout until debt relief demands are met http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jul/30/imf-will-refuse-join-greek-bailout-until-debt-relief-demands-met

The Independent, 31.07.15: Greece debt crisis: IMF staff baulk at signing up to new bailout deal http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/greece-debt-crisis-imf-staff-baulk-at-signing-up-to-new-bailout-deal-10429132.html

EurActiv, 31.07.15: New Greek energy minister seeks alternatives to cut high power costs http://www.euractiv.com/sections/energy/new-greek-energy-minister-seeks-alternatives-cut-high-power-costs-316754

Politico, 03.08.15: Greek privatization 2.0: Doomed to fail? http://www.politico.eu/article/greek-privatization-doomed-to-fail-eurozone-creditors-bail-out/

Blog: Open Europe, 31.07.15: How could the third Greek bailout change without the IMF? http://openeurope.org.uk/blog/how-could-the-third-greek-bailout-change-without-the-imf/

ESO: Background information: The Greek debt crisis: Key sources http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-greek-debt-crisis-key-sources/

IMF: Press Release, 30.07.15: Transcript of a Conference Call by an IMF Official on Greece http://www.imf.org/external/np/tr/2015/tr073015a.htm

Kathimerini, 03.08.15: Officials ramp up negotiations in bid to clinch deal http://www.ekathimerini.com/200211/article/ekathimerini/news/officials-ramp-up-negotiations-in-bid-to-clinch-deal

Blog: Open Europe, 03.08.15: A second bridge loan for Greece on the horizon http://openeurope.org.uk/blog/a-second-bridge-loan-for-greece-on-the-horizon/

EurActiv, 04.08.15: Greece agrees pension reforms to apply from July http://www.euractiv.com/sections/social-europe-jobs/greece-agrees-pension-reforms-apply-july-316783

EurActiv, 05.08.15: Greek bailout deal in sight http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/greek-bailout-deal-sight-316790

EurActiv, 06.08.15: Tsipras says Greece in 'final stretch' for deal with creditors http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/tsipras-says-greece-final-stretch-deal-creditors-316806

Kathimerini, 05.08.15: Tsipras sees talks in final stretch; Juncker hopeful of deal in August http://www.ekathimerini.com/200290/article/ekathimerini/news/tsipras-sees-talks-in-final-stretch-juncker-hopeful-of-deal-in-august

Kathimerini, 06.06.15 [Opinion]: Getting in sync with Europe http://www.ekathimerini.com/200299/opinion/ekathimerini/comment/getting-in-sync-with-europe

EUObserver, 06.08.15: Berlin doubts Greek bailout deal will be reached on time https://euobserver.com/economic/129841

EurActiv, 07.08.15: Hollande and Tsipras want Greek bailout agreed by late August http://www.euractiv.com/sections/euro-finance/hollande-and-tsipras-want-greek-bailout-agreed-late-august-316817

Politico, 07.08.15: ‘No one comes anymore’ http://www.politico.eu/article/no-one-comes-anymore-syriza-greece-bailout-tsipras-creditors-deal/

Politico, 08.08.15: Germans try to slow down Greek talks http://www.politico.eu/article/germans-try-to-slow-down-greek-talks-bailout-negotiations-ecb-commission/

Kathimerini, 08.08.15: Hopes for deal next week http://www.ekathimerini.com/200396/article/ekathimerini/news/hopes-for-deal-next-week

EUObserver, 10.08.15: Greece hopes for bailout deal this week https://euobserver.com/economic/129854

Kathimerini, 09.08.15: Greece hopes to conclude bailout talks by Tuesday http://www.ekathimerini.com/200404/article/ekathimerini/news/greece-hopes-to-conclude-bailout-talks-by-tuesday

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