Leaders of the main Greek political parties have again postponed the meeting scheduled for 24 hours on Tuesday to accept the reforms demanded by donors in exchange for Athens a second aid plan.

A party official who declined to be identified said the postponement was due to the fact that the leaders of the three features had not yet received the text of the draft agreement on this bailout of 130 billion euros.

While demonstrators gathered in Athens burned the German flag, Chancellor Angela Merkel tried to ease tensions. "I will do nothing to force Greece out of Euro", she assured, responding to a Greek student in a meeting with young people in Berlin.

His Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte has however not ruled out such an output. "The rest of the euro area is now strong enough (…) so we can deal with an output of Greece, a Greece faces serious problems," he said ;.

A half an hour of their meeting, scheduled at 19:00 GMT, the leaders of the Socialist Party, New Democracy (right) and Laos (far right) who support the government of Lucas Papadé ; mos still had not received the draft agreement with the IMF and the European Union.

"We can not say yes or no frank without assurances from the competent authorities of the State that these measures are constitutional and that the country will emerge from the crisis," said George Karatzaferis, leader of Laos. "We have time. Since it is about the future of the state, we find the time, "he said

To avoid being insolvent in late March, Athens has been negotiating for months with the troika (International Monetary Fund, European Union and European Central Bank) the granting of the second aid tranche

. Negotiations between Lucas Papademos and donors took almost all night from Monday to Tuesday, until 04:00 (2:00 GMT), right at the start the first walkouts in ports. "No ship left the port of Piraeus this morning, due to the strike of seamen," said a spokesman for the coastguard.

The movement was launched at the call of the main unions, GSEE (private) and ADEDY (public), to denounce a policy which, they say, threatens to lead the country in a destructive spiral.

The Acropolis was closed to tourists, public transport was disrupted during rush hours, hospital staff is minimized. Teachers, employees of banks or telecommunications plan to join the movement.

Scuffles broke out between Syntagma Square police and demonstrators who tried to climb the steps leading to parliament chanting "No to the medieval working conditions, do not give head , resist ".

Participation seemed a little weaker than in previous rallies in recent months, the rain had apparently been due to the desire of some protesters.

"They (the government) were saved by the rain. The weather did not allow the protesters to take to the streets and show their anger, "he told Reuters Ilias Iliopoulos, general secretary of public sector union, ADEDY

. "FINDING A SOLUTION"

Lucas Papademos, Vice-old President of the European Central Bank (ECB), must now convince the leaders of three parties in the diverse coalition that supports it to accept the conditions imposed by the EU and the IMF ..

……. "We must find a solution today," said a government official before the meeting between parties …….

.. The Greek finance minister, Evangelos Venizelos, has meanwhile said the talks between his government and the "troika" – Lender EU, IMF, ECB – were difficult. 

"Unfortunately, the negotiations are so difficult that when a chapter is closed, another opens," he said Monday night.

Tuesday, a source close to the talks we had yet reported progress in discussions. "Our positions are not as far apart as before," said, adding that both sides were working on the contours of the political program that Athens will apply to enter the second plan help.

After weeks of dealings, several important questions have still not been resolved.

COST OF WORK

Greece has yet to find 600 million euros in savings for the current year, a total of 3.3 billion, said a government official.

Troika also requires that the cost of labor in the private sector is reduced by about one fifth. It proposes to do this by lowering the minimum wage by 20% – which would affect the entire pay scale – by eliminating premiums paid leave or certain sectoral wage agreements.

Europe seeks new austerity is accepted by the Greek government coalition and approved by the Troika before February 15, time to settle then the procedures complex techniques involved in an agreement between Athens and its private creditors on a debt exchange.

The EU hopes to avoid a default "disorderly" of Greece, which must be repaid in March 14.5 billion euros of bonds maturing . 

The President of the Eurogroup, Jean-Claude Juncker, said Tuesday he had no doubt on the future of Greece in the euro area, provided that the country meets its obligations vis-à-vis other members of the single currency.

Registrations of new cars in France fell by 20.7% in raw data in January to 147,143 units, said Wednesday the Committee of French Automobile Manufacturers (CCFA), con ; frequency of the economic climate and comparative unfavorable early 2011. Working day adjusted, in January 2012 with 22 working days counted against 21 in 2011, registrations of new cars in France fell by 24.3% last month. In 2011 and 2010, they had declined by 2.1 and 2.2%, supported by one after the scrappage scheme introduced to the crisis that struck the area in late 2008 and whose effects were felt until the first quarter of 2011. The PSA Peugeot Citroën registrations fell 23.1% last month while those of the Renault Group (Renault and Dacia brands above) decreased by 26.1%. In contrast, sales of Volkswagen in the Hexagon increased by 16.2% (23.2% just for VW).

The President of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi has made it clear Thursday he was ready to take additional measures to support the economy in the euro area, adding that the downside risks have increased and that the ECB was aware of the increasing difficulties of banks.

As pressure increases on the leaders of the eurozone to make progress on a response to the debt crisis by the European summit of December 9, Mario Draghi, speaking before the European Parliament, called for a "deepening" of the budgetary and fiscal integration.

"To me, what is needed by our economic and fiscal union is a new budget agreement – a fundamental reformulation of fiscal rules, budgetary commitments with each other that the governments of the euro area have been," Has he said.

"We might ask if a new budget agreement would be sufficient to stabilize the markets and if a credible long-term vision can be useful in the short term.

The European Commission estimates that the pooling of borrowing countries in the euro area could quickly alleviate the current crisis. The counterpart would be a strengthening of fiscal discipline. The President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso (here at a press conference in Brussels April 13, 2011)

The European Commission Wednesday will propose the creation of eurobonds, a system seen by its promoters as a means of achieving sustainable solutions to the debt crisis, but that divides Europeans and has as its corollary a strengthening of fiscal discipline. In a "Green Paper" seen by AFP, the European Commission considers that this pooling of borrowing countries in the euro area could "rapidly reduce" the current crisis.Countries that need external assistance, as now Greece, Ireland and Portugal, should be subjected to "enhanced monitoring", argued Mr Barroso.

The Commission proposals provide for such a development also for the states under the excessive deficit procedure against the limit of 3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) set by the Stability Pact. Today, almost all EU countries are concerned. Europe may well require them to review their copy if the budget passed by their parliaments become too lax compared to the common rules of discipline. A proposal that is likely to generate heated debate in national parliaments.

MEPs decided that the adjustment of family benefits would take place on April 1 instead of January 1.

MEPs decided on Friday at the meeting, that the adjustment of family benefits, traditionally made on 1 January, 1 April intervene now, as is already the case for pensions. This deferral to April 1, said Minister of Solidarity Roselyne Bachelot, will compensate for the finances of the state, "not liable to the CSG the additional choice of activity (CLCA)" (parental leave ).

MEPs have adopted Wednesday by night session, an amendment removing the liability to CSG parental leave that the government wanted to impose.The UMP's budget reporter Social Security Yves Bur had proposed to postpone the revaluation of family benefits from 1 April to financially compensate the removal of government action. The budget minister Valérie Pécresse, while present, had "taken note of this commitment."

Friday morning, the members themselves have officially recorded this decision by adopting an amendment to the government that sets 1 April each year the revaluation of family benefits. All family benefits will be affected by this provision: family allowances, housing allowances, allowances back to school, receiving benefits early childhood, parental leave, etc.. The three-month postponement of revaluation has sparked protests in the ranks of the opposition.

The release date of the recession has been repeatedly pushed back to Athens for two years. According to the international organization, the economy should resume growth in 2013. In Greece, the horizon darkens again.

The International Monetary Fund has ceased to be optimistic for Greece, drawing a line under the belief that it could recover as soon as its creditors believed at the beginning of international aid plan. "The recession will be deeper than anticipated in June and a recovery is now expected that from 2013," wrote the IMF, the Commission and the European Central Bank in a statement Tuesday.

Greece, in recession since late 2008, did not see the end. Issues and the IMF forecasts a growing dark. The date on which the Hellenic economy should resume growth has declined steadily for two years.In 2009, before the debt crisis, the IMF thought it would be in 2011. In 2010 and until summer 2011, he was counting on 2012. Since September, 2013.

The "troika" of the creditors of Athens on Wednesday announced the release of 8 billion euros in November. But the IMF no longer speaks to unlock new loan to the country most in need of the euro area. At the end of the summit area on July 21, executive director of the institution Christine Lagarde said that Greece expected demand "soon" new aid. Two months later, change of tone in Washington at the annual meeting of the IMF, Ms. Lagarde forget any reference to a new loan, and hammered the need for Greece to meet its commitments before obtaining new European funds. "What we have heard lately is the strong commitment of European partners to be with any member of the area.And I think it's a crucial point, "she said, without defining the role of the IMF. Europe's director, Antonio Borges, agrees:" If the Greeks are doing what they should do, I think they can count on the full support of the rest of Europe. "He fails to mention the IMF.

Jacob Kierkegaard, economist Peterson Institute in Washington, history has proven that the institution had agreed, when it promised 30 billion euros to Greece in May 2010, a plan too ambitious reform the country quickly without restructuring its debt. "The projections are by nature optimistic. They tried to convince market participants that Greece was not an insolvent country," said he. But the IMF has found over time that Athens could not move as fast as you like, especially in its privatization.Gradually, the prospect of global institution with a long experience of debt crises has departed from that of Europeans, for whom it was to preserve the young first monetary union and bank-holding Greek debt. Kierkegaard says, "the markets have a confidence level much higher in the IMF as a neutral arbiter in the ECB or the Commission", and the IMF has gradually imposed his views.

The aid program in Athens, most originally designed by Europeans, has failed in its objectives: to make Greece more competitive, restore the credibility of public finances and financial calm tensions in the eurozone. Contrary to the hopes the Europeans, "the specter of a discount for holders of Greek bonds and the risks of contagion that accompany have not flown," says Samarjit Shankar, an analyst at Bank of New York Mellon.Especially, the way the Greek economy has sunk was a cruel disappointment, said Eswar Prasad, a former economist at the Fund (1990-2006). "In principle", the IMF forecasts assume that the government will follow a certain policy, says he told AFP. Greece shows that "the slippage in the implementation of a policy (…) can cause a divergence between growth forecasts and actual growth."

The economic downturn continues in the major economies, especially Germany, Italy and Brazil, leading indicators show the OECD published Monday.

Declined for the fifth consecutive month, these leading indicators are now below the 100-which distinguishes the increase in lower activity – in most countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Japan, the United States, Germany and Russia are the only countries for which the leading indicators remain above this threshold.

The CLI for the OECD area as a whole declined to 100.8 from 101.4 in July.

The G7 countries fell back to 101.1 from 101.7.

For the U.S., the indicator decreased to 101.5 from 102.1.

The indicator fell back by 0.9 points to 99.1 for France and 1.3 points to 100.5 for Germany.

Among the large emerging economies, the indicator for China was down 0.3 points to 99.8 while that of Brazil gives up 1.2 points to 94.8.

LyondellBasell employees were extended on Monday the strike and blocking the production units of the group. The SP displays its support for the movement and the government provides "mobilize." LyondellBasell employees are on strike against the planned closure of the Berre refinery, which employs 370 people.

Employees of the U.S. company LyondellBasell have extended their Monday strike and blocking the production sites of the group. They protest against the closure of a refinery in Berre L'Etang (Bouches-du-Rhone). Several hundred people took part in the vote at a general meeting in mid-day, as part of the action taken after the September 27 announcement of the closure by management.

The refinery and production units in September LyondellBasell are blocked at the site of Berre L'Etang, and a fuel depot in Rognac and propylene oxide plant at Fos-sur-Mer, two neighboring towns. Staff representatives were sent to the Directorate Sunday, through their lawyers, questions about the future of the site but have not received a response for now, their last contact dating back to Thursday night they say.

The closure of the refinery would cover the approximately 370 employees to 1,250, in total, working in the petrochemical complex of the American group around the Etang de Berre. In recent days, the political reactions are multiplying on the subject. Martine Aubry, the Socialist candidate in the primary, on Monday expressed its "solidarity" with employees. It asks the Prime Minister to consider "alternatives to closing track".The mayor of Lille also known as "shared anger and anxiety of employees: see anger on the part of LyondellBasell's refusal to dialogue and put forward false numbers to justify for a purely financial and stock market, and concern before the uncertainty over the future of a site which employs 1,250 employees and thousands of subcontractors. " According to her, "the passivity of the government to a matter as serious, witnessed the acceleration of the industrialization of our country is unacceptable. It is not enough to say, as the Minister of Industry, that" his services are closely monitoring the ".

"The challenge of this case is the local district, regional and national levels"

Indeed, Eric Besson said Saturday that the government "mobilizing" all its means to ensure the future of the site.But he admitted not yet be able to indicate what decisions it would take to sustain the site. The Minister of Industry is expected to receive in the coming days the unions and the management of LyondellBasell said a ministry statement. The Ministry, it was recognized that the state could not force a company to maintain an activity when it decided to stop or suspend. The Government will ensure that LyondellBasell fulfills its reclassification as employees affected by this closure affect redundancy pay sufficiently "important," one said.

The case began to take a political turn with the Saturday site visit by the candidate for the primary Socialist Francois Hollande, who has held a "roundtable indispensable" for "transparency about the intentions of the group" and "how we can keep the whole chain from refinery to petrochemicals. " "The challenge of this case, it is not just a refinery is a potential that can, if nothing is clarified in the coming days, to be phased in question, or even disappear. It is a challenge local, district, regional and national, "he told reporters, after meeting a half hour with Inter (CGT, CFDT, CFE-CGC, FOR, CFTC).

Wall Street fell more than 2% Friday, signing the third quarter of its worst quarterly performance in three years, the macroeconomic indicators from China and the debt crisis in Europe continues to fuel concerns about the global economy.

The Dow Jones Industrial 30 yielded 2.16%, or 240.60 points at 10,913.83. The S & P-500, wider, lost 28.98 points, or 2.50%, to 1131.42.The Nasdaq Composite fell on its side of 65.36 points (-2.63%) to 2415.40.

The U.S. equity market and accuses his fifth consecutive month of decline and its worst performance in three months since the fourth quarter of 2008, which was the heart of the financial crisis of 2007-2009.

On the whole week, the Dow is up 1.3% while the S & P and Nasdaq, respectively, yielded 0.4% and 2.7%.

On September, the Dow lost 6%, however, the S & P 500 7.2% and the Nasdaq 6.4%.In the third quarter, the three indices were down 12.1%, 14.3% and 12.9%.

Financial stocks fell with Morgan Stanley, which plunged 10.54% to 13.50 dollars due to concerns about the exposure of the bank's European debt.

"Everyone fears that growth will slow down or it will not be as strong as expected.In general, there is a crisis of confidence, "said Adam Krejcik, an analyst with Roth Capital.

The CBOE volatility index, known as the "fear index," rose 10.61% to 42.96, suggesting that investors expect that volatility will continue.

In China, China's manufacturing sector continued to decline in September for the third consecutive month.

Inflation in the euro area in September rose abruptly and unexpectedly to 3.0%, its highest level in nearly three years, greatly undermining the chances of the European Central Bank cut rates in October .

Market players have also not responded to U.S. macroeconomic indicators better than expected.

Strong differences of views on the management of the debt crisis have materialized Friday between Europeans and Americans.

At a crucial meeting of finance ministers of the euro area, which was exceptionally invited the Secretary of U.S. Treasury Timothy Geithner, Germany has refused to commit more public funds to support the euro area , as called for it.

In turn, Timothy Geithner has ruled out a tax on financial transactions, despite their wishes known by the heavyweights of the single currency area such as Germany and France.

The exchange was reported by some journalists to the Austrian Minister of Finance, Maria Fekter.

"He stressed that more funds were needed to prevent the system (financial) is in difficulties.(Wolfgang) Schäuble told him it was very unlikely to be possible to weigh the burden on taxpayers, especially if the burden is imposed on those countries AAA, "she said.

"In these countries, there is a desire to implement a tax on financial transactions (…) It (Geithner) was excluded," she said.

"I think especially that although Americans have basic worse than the euro area they tell us what to do and when we give them a suggestion, they immediately say no I (…) hoped that when they tell us how they see the world they listen to what we have to tell them, "she further said.

At the press conference following the meeting of the Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Juncker, also made a plea in to U.S. demands to curb austerity.

"We see in the euro area no flexibility that allows us to implement a new stimulus package," he said.

"Loose talk"

A debate is at work within the euro area and between Europeans and Americans on whether or not to put a brake on the policy of austerity, while the economic recovery is decelerating sharply.

According to several sources, the whirlwind tour of Europe by Timothy Geithner was to defend the principle of recovery and ensure that the euro area had the will and the tools to manage the crisis.

He called on governments and central banks to work together and avoid "loose talk" on the dismantling of the euro area.

According to several sources of high rank, he also pleaded Friday for the use of leverage to multiply the response capacity of the fund "euro area".

It is currently 440 billion euros but this sum could be too low when the new government fund to recapitalize banks and buy back sovereign debt will take effect this fall.

Jean-Claude Juncker has denied the existence of such a discussion between EU ministers and their U.S. counterpart.

"We do not discuss the increase in the size of EFSF with countries outside the euro area," he said.

A senior source said, however, that this possibility was discussed Friday afternoon.

Germany and other countries had so far rejected an outright increase in the size of the fund and the national parliaments have yet to ratify the new powers of EFSF decided at the EU summit on 21 July.