German Official Says Greece May Be Eligible for More Assistance Next Year

Jörg Asmussen also said there was no change in policy from Greece's euro zone lenders

BERLIN — With Greece's debt crisis an issue ahead of Germany's election next month, the highest-ranking German in the European Central Bank said on Monday that Athens could be eligible for additional aid and debt relief next year if it continued to fulfill promises for its current assistance.

"The Eurogroup will support Greece for the lifetime of the current program, and beyond," said Jörg Asmussen, a member of the central bank's policy-making executive board, referring to the group of euro zone finance ministers.

Mr. Asmussen took care to note in an interview here that he was not signaling a new attitude toward Greece by its euro-zone benefactors. "There is no change of policy," he said, explaining that euro-zone leaders already decided in November that they would re-examine Greece's needs early in 2014.