German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Greece's Alexis Tsiprasit's time to back up his good intentions with the policy actionrequired to release aid.

During two hours of talks in Brussels that began late onWednesday and also included French President Francois Hollande,Tsipras said his government will work with “higher intensity” tofind a deal, a German government spokesman said in an e- mailedstatement. The discussions took place in a “constructiveatmosphere,” the spokesman said.

“The willingness is there to cooperate with the threeinstitutions, it's now a matter of acting on that,” Merkel toldreporters on Thursday. “There was absolute unity that Greece willcontinue to work emphatically and resolutely with the threeinstitutions in the coming days to clear up all open questions asfar as possible.”