By Paul Tugwell
Nov. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Greece will stick to its agreement with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund in May in return for a 110 billion-euro ($153 billion) emergency loan package, government spokesman George Petalotis said.
?The government?s position is the strict adherence to, and implementation of, the objectives of the programme to lead the country out of the crisis,? Petalotis said, according to an e- mailed transcript of a press briefing in Athens today.
His comments follow remarks by Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Panagalos in an interview with To Vima newspaper that Greece may consider restructuring its debt at some point.
?Before we reach a restructuring of debt, we have to finish with the deficit, but the demonization of debt restructuring is wrong,? Panagalos said, according to the Athens-based newspaper. ?Debts exist to be restructured. We may pursue it or it may be suggested to us.?
Petalotis said in an interview with Athens-based radio station Real FM that the discussion ?concerns the extension of repayment times and we?re only talking about repayment.?
?It?s still a theoretical discussion and no one knows if it will become more formal,? he said, according to a transcript from the government Press Ministry. ?What concerns us is to strictly adhere to our goals.?
--Editors: Fergal O?Brien, Craig Stirling
To contact the reporter on this story: Paul Tugwell in Athens at ptugwell1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Angela Cullen at acullen8@bloomberg.net
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