The Latest: EU’s Juncker says any Greek deal later likely to be ‘overly simplistic’

By The Associated Press

BRUSSELS – The latest on the Greek financial crisis (all times local):

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9:35 a.m.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has tempered expectations of a swift solution to the Greek crisis, saying “a solution is not going to appear overnight.”

Juncker told lawmakers at the European Parliament in Strasbourg that any solution later at a meeting of the eurozone’s 19 leaders in Brussels would likely be “overly simplistic.”

He said one of the purposes later is to “restore order to the situation.” He also displayed his anger at attacks on the European Union’s executive branch.

“I think it is unacceptable for the European Commission to be deemed terrorists by the Greek government,” he added.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and new finance minister Euclid Tsakalotos are on their way to Brussels for meetings aimed at restarting bailout talks.

“Quite clearly the ball lies in the court of the Greek government,” said Juncker.

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9:10 a.m.

European stock markets have opened solidly ahead of an emergency meeting of eurozone leaders in Brussels, where Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is expected to reveal fresh proposals to the country’s creditors.

Germany’s DAX index was up 0.4 per cent while the Stoxx 50 index of leading European shares rose 0.2 per cent.

With Greece’s banks shuttered and cash reserves run dry, time is running out for a bailout deal. Some investors hope the resignation of Yanis Varoufakis on Monday may well help smooth discussions.

Still, few are optimistic and many analysts think that a Greek exit from the euro remains possible.

“It seems untenable that Greece can slide out of the Eurozone with barely a whimper being heard in financial markets, but right now that’s what it looks like,” said Tony Cross, market analyst at Trustnet Direct.

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8:50 a.m.

Germany’s biggest-selling newspaper knows who it wants to see at Tuesday’s emergency summit of eurozone leaders in Brussels: the Iron Chancellor.

The Bild daily’s front page Tuesday featured an image of Chancellor Angela Merkel in a Prussian-era spiked helmet. “No new billions for Greece,” its headline read. “Today we need the Iron Chancellor.”

That’s how Otto von Bismarck, the 19th-century leader under whom Germany was unified, was known.

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8:40 a.m.

Germany’s EU commissioner says he’s optimistic that a new Greek finance minister and opposition parties’ backing for Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras could smooth negotiations between Athens and its European creditors.

Tsipras’ polarizing finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, resigned Monday and was replaced by Euclid Tsakalotos. Three opposition parties offered backing for Tsipras in the bailout negotiations.

Commissioner Guenther Oettinger told Deutschlandfunk radio Tuesday that Tsakalotos “doesn’t have the same attitude as his predecessor. He knows the figures, the facts, he knows our reform proposals … and he knows that we are flexible.”

German officials insist that, even after its voters rejected more austerity in a referendum, Greece must accept conditions for any new aid.

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8:19 a.m.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls says his country will do everything possible to keep Greece in the eurozone, saying its exit would be a “risk for global economic growth.”

In an interview with the RTL radio network Tuesday, Valls denied that Greece’s “no” vote was a rejection of Europe or its values but rather an expression of pride. He called on Greece’s prime minister to put forward a plan and said France would be open to rescheduling Greece’s debt.

Valls says: “The eurozone must stay coherent, reliable. Europe is not just a currency. It is a conception of the world.”

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras is headed Tuesday to Brussels to negotiate a rescue deal with European lenders.

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