ATHENS, Oct 6: Greece will continue talks with international lenders next week on new austerity measures for the debt-ridden country to clinch its next loan tranche, the finance minister said on Saturday, with both sides saying progress had been made.

Negotiators had been pushing for a deal before a meeting of eurozone finance ministers on Monday, but Greece said it would settle for a statement acknowledging that talks were advancing.

“We will continue next week as well,” Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras told reporters following talks in Athens with Greece’s troika of creditors — the European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund.

“We hope there will be a positive presentation from the troika, the IMF, EU and ECB, at the eurogroup,” he said. “We’re trying to reach a compromise that will be in the interests of the economy and the poor.”

Five consecutive years of recession have driven unemployment to record levels, gutted household incomes and led to repeated bouts of protest and unrest on the streets of the Greek capital.

New protests are expected on Tuesday when German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make her first visit to Greece since the eurozone debt crisis erupted in late 2009.—Reuters