Angela Merkel

 Highlights of Angela Merkel's statements at a joint press conference afterwards the face-to-face talks:

Merkel

- There are difficult issues, in which we have completely different thoughts and views.

- The Greek government will tell us how much longer it wants to continue the cooperation with the Task Force.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel received Greek PM Alexis Tsipras at the chancellory in Berlin on Monday, with the two reviewing an honor guard before entering the building.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to hear from Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in person about the reform plans that he has promised to present to Greece's eurozone peers soon, her spokesman said Monday ahead of their talks in Berlin.

The euro slipped on Monday ahead of more talks aimed at solving Greece?s debt crisis, while investors also eye a slate of speeches by Federal Reserve officials for further clues about the timing of an interest rate hike.

The single currency eased to $1.0787 and 129.55 yen on Monday from $1.0821 and 129.98 yen in New York on Friday.

Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has warned German Chancellor Angela Merkel in a letter that Athens will not be able to service its debt without financial help from the EU, the Greek government revealed on March 23.
      
Greek government spokesman Gabriel Sakellaridis confirmed a report in the Financial Times which said that Tsipras had written to Merkel.
      

By Nikos Chrysoloras & Tony Czuczka

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is set to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the second time in five days on Monday, at the start of a week that may prove decisive for Greece?s future in the euro area.

 In letter, PM said his government would be forced to choose between paying off loans or continue social spending

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Monday. He has already warned Merkel that Athens will be unable to make debt repayments if the EU fails to unlock financial aid to Greece. The message was sent in a letter amid concerns that Athens would fall short of making pension and wage payments in April.

In an interview with German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung that will be published on Monday, Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said that a joint Greek-German Committee of experts should be established to discuss the issue of WWII reparations that Greece claims from Germany.

President Rosen Plevneliev will not attend the May 9 celebrations in Moscow marking the allies' victory over Nazi Germany during World War Two.

The Bulgarian head of state's press office confirmed this following reports in Russian news website that President Plevneliev has declined an invitation.