Euclid Tsakalotos

Representatives of Greece?s creditors were on Monday awaiting revised proposals from Athens as international pressure mounted for a reform deal, with US President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel pushing for swift action to clinch an agreement.

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis described as ?productive? and ?extremely friendly? his discussion with his German counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble in Berlin on Monday.

?Dr Schaeuble and I had a long productive conversation,? said Varoufakis after their meeting. ?We were not negotiating, we were establishing common ground.?

A high-level Greek delegation has traveled to Brussels in the hope of finding common ground between Athens and its lenders before Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras meets German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande in Belgium on Wednesday.

Negotiations are continuing in Brussels on Monday, says Government Spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis. A Greek delegation headed by Greek State Minister Nikos Pappas and Alt. Foreign Minister for International Economic Affairs Euclid Tsakalotos are in Brussels for meetings. The goal is to bring convergence between the Greek government and the country’s creditors.

The SYRIZA government was quick to issue a response to the barbs unleashed by EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Saturday, responding in “non-paper” fashion with general six points, while claiming there is no deadline in negotiations with creditors.

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said on Thursday he saw "no reason whatsoever" for Greece to go to early elections, playing down growing speculation the government was considering such a move.

"The people have given our government a clear mandate," Varoufakis told Greek radio when asked about the prospect of snap polls.

Greece cannot accept a cash-for-reform deal under the terms that European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was reported to have proposed on Wednesday to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, the country's Deputy Shipping Minister said.

Thodoris Dritsas said Athens would not "surrender" to demands by its international creditors in the negotiations.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker held high-stakes talks in Brussels on Wednesday where the Greek premier was expected to defend his proposal for a deal with creditors aimed at restoring crucial liquidity to the debt-racked country while creditors push a rival proposal that contains tough measures.

Eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem will take part in talks on Wednesday in Brussels with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on what reforms Greece must implement to get more funding from its creditors, a euro zone official said.

Time is running out for the Greek Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) government that is in a rush against time to decode the moves and intentions of Greece’s creditors from the European Commission, European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund.