US warns of Grexit ‘accident’ if deal delayed

29-May (Financial Times) Jack Lew, the US Treasury secretary, has urged Athens and its international creditors to agree a deal as soon as possible, saying putting off a decision was heightening the threat of “an accident” that could force Greece out of the eurozone.

His warning came after the International Monetary Fund, which is handling the negotiations with Greece alongside EU institutions, confirmed this week that Athens would be permitted to delay all its June repayments until the end of the month, removing the threat that Greece could default as soon as June 5, when €300m falls due.

Mr Lew, in Dresden for a Group of Seven summit of finance ministers and central bank governors, said the months-long negotiations should be completed “sooner rather than later … if these deadlines were taken seriously it would be a good thing for all parties.”

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