Greek government

Athens on Friday evening referred to a four-month deal to extend its loan agreement with eurozone creditors, a development that translates into a successful conclusion to the often acrimonious deliberations following the formation of a new Greek government on Jan. 26.

Bild on Friday claimed a 'mix up' in the letters sent by Athens to request a loan agreement extension was the reason behind Wolfgang Schaeuble's surly 'nein', something however, the SYRIZA government categorically denied.

Top European officials were engaged in furious diplomacy on Friday to build a bridge between fiercely divided Greek and German ministers whose agreement is needed to solve a bitter row over Greeces huge debt.

Arriving for what promises to be another tense Eurogroup summit in Brussels on Friday, Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said the Greek government "has gone not the extra mile" but "the extra 10 miles" in honoring the demands of the country's creditors.

"Hopefully at the end of this we?ll come out with some white smoke," he said.

A crucial Eurogroup session will begin with a 90-minute delay due to a previously unscheduled meeting of Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Yanis Varoufakis, Christine Lagarde and Wolfgang Schaeuble. Therefore, the regular Eurogroup itself will start at 15:30 GMT.

The delay was announced by Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem through his Twitter account.

European Parliament President Martin Schultz met with Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann in Vienna, where the former reiterated that, as a matter of respect, the new Greek government should be given a chance.

He also said the German FinMin’s quick reaction to the proposal was “surprising”. Schulz reiterated that Yanis Varoufakis’ proposal to the EU partners does not lack substance.

The Germany chancellery has expressed an opinion that the Greek government’s tabled proposal for a six-month extension of the loan agreement is a “great basis for further negotiations”.

German Chancellery spokesperson Steffen Seibert said Greece is interested in receiving help from the EU.

Government Spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis told private ANT1 TV on Friday that Greece is "optimistic" that there will be an agreement at the Eurogroup meeting on Friday but cannot be entirely sure. "We are having in dialogue and are struggling hard so as to achieve a mutually beneficial solution while respecting the popular mandate," he said in reference to the Eurogroup's meeting.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, speaking with italian national braodcaster Rai Due, said: “We are trying to offer a helping hand to the Greek government in cooperation with the European Commission in order a solution to be found.” He also expressed a willingness to act as a bridge between “Greece and the most rigid countries.”

Greece has made every effort to reach a mutually beneficial agreement with its euro zone partners but will not be pushed to implement its old bailout program, its government spokesman said on Friday.

"The Greek government has done all it should at every level in an effort to find a mutually beneficial solution," government spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis told Mega TV.