Schäuble: Situation will be difficult without Greek deal

Schäuble: Situation will be difficult without Greek deal

Wolfgang Schäuble went on to reiterate that his discussions with Yanis Varoufakis have not been acrimonious and he has again refused to speculate on quite what would happen after February 28 if there is no deal.

“I have said it three times, I have nothing to reproach about the personal contact I have had with my Greek colleagues.”

On what happens after the bailout deal expires at the end of the month, he said:

“If this programme is not concluded in an orderly manner a difficult situation will ensue...But there is no sense in speculating over what will happen.”

The German finance minister also said:

“All this speculating and excitement don’t help anything. Of course, we know that whatever scenario the situtation for Greece is extraordinarily difficult and for Europe too. That is not in question at all. But it won’t be made better by us excitedly running around the place...saying oh God, oh God, oh God... And I would point to the so-called financial markets... and they are completely unaffected, they are completely unaffected.”

And there was a light-hearted moment at the end.....

Asked a question in English at the end of the press conference, Schaeuble said this was still a German press conference and appeared to add a little dig at George Osborne, the finance minister of a non-euro member, but vocal on Greece nonetheless.

“I hope George Osborne will deliver some press conference and he is the most engaged mitglied [member] of the eurogroup.”

(hat-tip to Katie Allen for the translations)

— Yannis Koutsomitis (@YanniKouts)February 17, 2015

Schäuble is basically saying We won't kick Greece out of the Eurozone, she'll hv to decide on her own (In the mean time we'll sterilize her)