Asking for a “bridging programme” that will give Greece time to present its proposals to the IMF, the EU and the ECB, expressing respect for “established treaties and agreements” but without “crushing” Greece and Europe, the new Greek Finance Minister, Yanis Varoufakis disagreed with German Finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble even about disagreeing...
“We agreed to disagree” during a “long and intensive exchange” , said a reserved Wolfgang Schaeuble. “But we had a broad understanding” and “both sides are in favour of European integration”, he added.
He also mentioned that “we have a moral duty to understand each other and also a moral duty to find solutions” he added.
A more expansive Yanis Varoufakis, disagreed with Schaeuble's account of the two sides having “agreed to disagree”, saying that “we set the scene for deliberations for an approach that will end this seemingly never-ending crisis, that began in Greece and spread across the Eurozone”. “I think we agreed that a haircut is not on the agenda, it’s off the table”.
Varoufakis did not mention any debt haircut. He focused mainly on the need for Greece to be given time in order to present it's proposals to it's partners and for deliberations with all parties, including theIMF, ECB and EU Troika. He also noted the need to “respect established treaties and agreements”end he asked for a “bridging” programme that will secure time for deliberation until the end of May pointing out that this is the best way not only for Greece but for the whole of Europe. “ At this stage Greece is only asking for time to present its proposals to the IMF, the EU and the ECB” he said.
He made a point of noting that the ECBis asking for Greece to be "in a programm" but is "agnostic" as to what this programme will be, something that has to be decided at a political level.
He described the new government as one that has a very strong and very recent mandate.”You may not like the fact we were elected, but use us in the context of the European project to turn the page in Greeceand in Europe”, he said.
http://www.neurope.eu/article/varoufakis-schaeuble-use-us-context-european-project