Monday, July 27, 2015

The optimist’s guide to Greece

by Hugo Dixon

Reuters

July 27, 2015

There are so many ways things could go wrong in Greece that it’s easy to miss how things could also go right. The best-case scenario involves the European Central Bank including Greek bonds in its quantitative easing programme, the lifting of capital controls and a deal on debt relief – all by the end of the year.

This is not a prediction. Trust between Greece and the other euro zone countries has been all but destroyed. Hard-line creditors, led by Germany, will only help Alexis Tsipras, the prime minister, if he implements diligently what he has agreed. That is far from given, now that his radical-left Syriza party is splintering, even though that also gives him opportunities.

However, if Tsipras can rebuild trust and follow through on his commitments, there is a clear path out of misery.

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