Europe is open to dialogue with Greece’s government whoever ends up being in it, Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said Sunday evening.
With exit polls showing Greece’s conservatives and the radical left Syriza party neck-and-neck in Sunday’s Greek election, Mr. Reynders, the former finance minister, said Europe has its door open to dialogue with Athens “whatever the government.”
However in reference to conservative New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras, Mr. Reynders said “it is preferable to have in front of you people who are open to discussion.”
The comments were reported by several media outlets, including the Belgian website of broadcaster RTL. Mr. Reynders tweeted the RTL article.
Mr. Reynders also said that there is “some room for possible debate on the timing of the” deal reached between Greece and its creditors and said he would favor allowing Athens more time to meet its deficit reduction targets.
However he said Greece could not be given a blank check on its bailout-program commitments.