Brussels

A Greek government official said that a draft text presented to eurozone finance ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday spoke of Greece extending its current bailout package and as such was ?unreasonable? and would not be accepted.

Nervous investors sold off Greek financial assets on Monday, but stocks held above pre-election levels and borrowing costs below last week's peaks as expectations of a new debt deal between Athens and its eurozone partners persisted.

The euro also edged up on bets the currency bloc's finance ministers can find common ground at talks that began at 1400 GMT.

BRUSSELS ? Greece and its European creditors began fresh talks on Monday over the country?s request to ease its bailout terms, but expectations for a quick deal are low despite a fast-approaching deadline.

Optimism was curbed by German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who said hes «very skeptical» that a solution can be found at the meeting in Brussels.

Fears of an impasse are growing in Brussels, with regard to the outcome of the critical Eurogroup meeting which started at 16.00 (Athens time).

According to the latest information, the chances that any progress will be made in the negotiations between the Greek side and the country's European partners are very low.

BY Jan Strupczewski and George Georgiopoulos

Euro zone finance ministers will try again on Friday to break a deadlock over Greece's urgent need for further financing but it may take an emergency summit of the currency bloc in the coming week to clinch any deal.

By Eleni Chrepa and Rainer Buergin

Greece?s euro-area creditors voiced skepticism that a breakthrough on financing Europe?s most indebted state was within reach, suggesting that any deal with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras?s government will go to the wire.

A few hours before what promises to be a tense Eurogroup summit in Brussels, Greek government spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis commented on remarks by German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, according to which Greece is behaving "quite irresponsibly," noting that Berlin's behavior could be described in the same terms.

EU extends "black list" of Russians

BRUSSELS, MOSCOW -- The European Union has extended its sanctions against Russian citizens, so that its "black list" now contains 151 names.

19 names have been added to the list, including deputy defense ministers Anatoly Antonov and Arkady Bakin, and Head of the Directorate of Operations General Andrei Kartapolov.

Greece goes into talks with its eurozone partners on Feb. 16 demanding changes to a massive debt rescue programme which could ultimately force it out of the single currency bloc and into the unknown.
      
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble set an uncompromising tone for the 1400 GMT meeting when he accused Greece of being "irresponsible."        

Members of Srpska List, the Serbian party in the Kosovo government, are to consult with Serbian government officials later this week and discuss whether to continue to participate in Kosovo government institutions.

The politicians, who make no secret of their close links to Belgrade, will make their minds up only after consultations with the Serbian Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic.