歐元區財長批准向希臘提供新援助
Eurozone finance ministers have approved a new $172-billion bailout for Greece, the second for the debt-ridden country in two years. The financial-rescue package could reduce the Greek government debt from about 160 percent of the country's economic output to just more than 120 percent by 2020 - the maximum debt level considered sustainable by the International Monetary Fund. It also likely averts a Greek default next month on $19 billion in financial obligations, although the country faces years of austere spending.
With its previous $145-billion bailout, Greece is now by far the biggest recipient of international aid in the 13-year history of the 17-nation bloc that uses the euro. Yet Greece accounts for just two percent of the eurozone economy. Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos called the pact "historic" and said it gives his country a new opportunity to advance its economy. The deal was reached after 13 hours of negotiations in Brussels. Greece's large private creditors agreed to take on a bigger-than-expected 53.5-percent face-value loss on their bonds. More than $141 billion of Greece's debt will be erased.歐元區各國財長批准向希臘提供1720億美元的援助，這是這個債務纏身的國家兩年來獲得的第二筆援助。財政援助計劃可能減少希臘政府的債務，在2020年底前把希臘債務同經濟產出的比例從目前的160%下降到稍稍高於120%。這是國際貨幣基金組織認為可持續的最高債務水平。這筆援助也可能避免希臘下個月對190億美元的財政債務違約，不過希臘必須在今後很多年縮減開支。
希臘此前獲得了1450億美元的援助。迄今為止，希臘是歐元區17國集團13年的歷史上獲得國際援助最多的國家。然而，希臘的經濟總量僅佔歐元區經濟的 2%。希臘總理盧卡斯.帕帕季莫斯稱，這份協議是“歷史性的”，並表示，該協議將為希臘提供新的推進經濟的機會。這項協議經歷13個小時的談判後在布魯塞爾達成。希臘的大型私人借貸方同意承擔希臘所欠債券面值53.5%的損失，這一比例高於預期。希臘將免於支付超過1410億美元的債務。
