Greece to set up caretaker govt

Multi- party govt set streer troubled nation but opposition leader snubs plans

Greece began yesterday the process of forming a multi- party interim government to break a political impasse that has hamstrung efforts to bail out its debt- stricken economy.

Just hours after surviving a confidence vote in Parliament, Prime Minister George Papandreou met president Karolos Papoulia to set in motion a process that would see a caretaker government shepherd Greece's latest international bailout deal, and pave the way dor early elections by February next year.

"My aim is to immediately create a government of cooperation", Mr. Papandreou told the president in the presence of reporters before the two leaders held talks before closed doors.

"A lack of consensus would woory our European patners about our country's membership of the euro zone, " he said. Consensus is the one and only way".

But his offer was snubbed by oposotion leader Antonis Samaras.

"We have not asked forn any place in his government. All we want is for Mr. Papandreou to resign because he has become dangerous for the country. We insist on immediate elections, " Mr.Samaras said in a televised address.

"Our offer remains on the table, " he added, without saying if he would join talks to form a national unity government.

Mr. Samaras also said he would accept the bailout plan, but not the additional austerity measures Mr. Papandreou says would need to accompany it.

Greek lawmakers sparred late into the night on Friday ahead on the confidence vote. When the votes were cast yesterday morning, all 153 Socialists came out in favour of Mr. Papandreou and 145 voted against him

(The Sunday Times, November 06, 2011; Singapore)

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