Kevin Sullivan, US interim ambassador in Argentina affirmed on Thursday that the country must seek “practical solutions” with the 'holdouts' or the so called vulture funds over defaulted bonds.
Argentina's Economy Minister Axel Kicillof denied point blank that Argentina defaulted on its debt and described such statement as an atomic nonsense. The minister gave a press conference in Buenos Aires a day after the failed negotiations with holdouts in New York and claimed ”those who today cheer the apocalypse, applauded the 2001 (crisis).”
After negotiations between the Argentine government and the speculative funds, led by US Special Master Daniel Pollack failed, New York District Judge Thomas Griesa called for a new hearing between the parties for Friday at 12 pm (Argentina time).
Argentina failed to strike a deal to avert its second default in more than 12 years after talks with holdout creditors and special mediator Daniel Pollack ended without a settlement on Wednesday.
The meeting between Argentine private bank representatives and the 'holdouts' over the debt held by the hedge funds has been adjourned and will be resumed on Thursday, according to Buenos Aires financial daily Ambito.com.
“Unfortunately no agreement was reached and Argentina will imminently be in default”, admitted Daniel A. Pollack, the Special Master appointed by Judge Thomas P. Griesa to conduct and preside over settlement negotiations between Argentina and its holdout bondholders. Pollack emphasized that with default “the ordinary Argentine citizen will be the real and ultimate victim”.
“Special Master” Daniel Pollack, the mediator appointed by US judge Griesa to resolve the dispute between Argentina and the speculative funds' holdouts said the parts talked “face to face” for the first time and assured a new meeting will be confirmed during the day. If a deal is not reached Wednesday sunset Argentina could again fall into default.
New York judge Thomas Griesa has confirmed that the Citigroup bank will on a one-off occasion be permitted to process payment on Argentine bonds held under Argentine law, which form part of the titles restructured following the default of 2001.
President Cristina Fernandez left on Friday for Santa Cruz province, where she will stay for the weekend and analyze New York Argentine/holdouts case briefings. The Argentine delegation returned on Friday to Buenos Aires after two meetings with appointed mediator Daniel Pollack in New York, where no resolution was reached.
Argentina failed to reach a breakthrough with the U.S. court-appointed mediator in its battle with holdout creditors in New York on Friday in talks that lasted just an hour. The Argentine delegation is flying back to seek instructions from its government, mediator Daniel Pollack said, while the country's economy ministry underscored it would continue the dialogue with him over the next few days.