Greece will not sign renamed bailout: gov't spokesman

ATHENS - Greece will not sign a renamed bailout program, Greek government spokesman Gavriil Sakellaridis said on Thursday, a few hours after the failure to reach a joint statement at a euro group meeting in Brussels on the Greek debt crisis.

"The point is not to rename the bailout. We do not intend to sign a new memorandum," Sakellaridis told a Greek television channel.

The Greek official said that Greek Deputy Prime Minister Yannis Dragassakis and Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis did not sign a draft statement on Wednesday night due to the phrase "extension of the memorandum" which was included.

Ahead of the next critical euro group meeting on Monday, Sakellaridis stressed that the Greek government does not want a rift with European partners and other creditors but seeks a mutually beneficial agreement.

He expressed hope that a deal could be reached during the next meeting on February 16.

The Left-led government which came to power after the January 25 general elections rejected the four-year bailout program which expires in late February.

The government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras rejected the idea to request a short extension of the program in exchange of an agreement regarding the further vital financial support of the country in coming months.

On the other hand, Greece's partners remained skeptical over the new administration's proposals for a bridge agreement and a renegotiation of the Greek debt burden.