As delays continue, Greek government official says bailout talks could end in February

Greece's deputy prime minister says negotiations with rescue lenders on the future of the country's bailout program could last for another two months.

Athens is in talks on how to finance itself once the rescue loans from fellow eurozone countries end this year. It also wants easier austerity terms, arguing the economy is doing better.

Evangelos Venizelos told a conference Monday that talks with lenders would be concluded before parliament elects a new Greek president in February — a vote that could topple the coalition government and that has revived anxiety in markets and eurozone governments.

Greece failed to reach a compromise last week at talks in Paris with representatives of the "troika" of the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund.