Trichet, Strauss-Kahn, Schaeuble on Greece

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble hosted a news conference with ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet and IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn after they met German lawmakers on Wednesday.

Trichet and Strauss-Kahn met the lawmakers to discuss the economic situation in Athens, where ECB and IMF officials are negotiating a three year fiscal authority plan as a condition to release emergency loans to debt-stricken Greece.

Below are highlights of their comments:

SCHAEUBLE:

"The goal of the German government is — if the meetings in Athens with the Greek government, the IMF, the ECB and the EU Commission succeed — to come to a decision as quickly as possible.

"The stability of the euro is the question, the last resort question. We're seeking backing in the parliamentary groups to for a speedy process, by Friday. And then we'll pass a corresponding law next Monday."

TRICHET:

"Let me say briefly what is extraordinarily important: We have negotiations taking place in Athens with IMF and the Comission and us. The working assumption is that we have the end of these negotations within a few days. Of course this is the key, that negotation is key.

"I am making a working assumption that we'll have a very good end of this negotiaton. It depends on us and it dependds on the government of Greece. I am confident.

"I make the working assumption that this green light is given, depending on the programme itself, then we have an absolute necessity to decide very rapidly. It depends on the decision making process in the IMF and in Europe. That is why the fast decision of the German parliament is so important."