The Greek government`s new proposals to its EU-IMF creditors represent an "opportunity" for a bailout deal this week, Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem said Monday.
"It is a welcome step and a step in a positive direction, so I think it is also an opportunity to get that deal later this week and that is what we will work for", Dijsselbloem told reporters after a meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Brussels.
But he said that because the reforms had arrived from Athens overnight there was "very little time" for the ministers to fully examine them ahead of a summit of eurozone leaders later Monday.
"As far as we`re concerned if necessary... the Eurogroup will have another meeting later this week to hear from the final outcome of the talks with the Greek authorities," he added.
"Those talks can start immediately this afternoon bringing immediately the work of the new proposals."
Greece`s latest proposals to reach a debt deal with its creditors are focused on VAT rates, early retirement measures and tax increases, which aim to cover a good part of the country`s budgetary gap, according to Greek media reports.
A European source in Brussels said the Greeks have made proposals on pensions and defence spending, with some movement on VAT still needed.
"In general terms, the institutions (Greece`s EU-IMF creditors) have said that it is a basis to re-start the talks in the next couple of days to get a result," Dijsselbloem said, adding that "they really need to see whether it adds up in fiscal terms".
The Eurogroup will meanwhile meet again "with a view of reaching a final agreement later this week".
The Eurogroup chief spoke shortly after the meeting of eurozone finance ministers ended without agreement, with another round of talks due in the coming days.
The Frankfurt, Madrid and Paris stock markets surged by more than 3.0 percent in Monday afternoon deals on hopes that Greece could strike a debt deal with European leaders.
