The trouble with game theory, as I used to tell my students, is that it takes for granted the players’ motives. In poker or blackjack this assumption is unproblematic. But in the current deliberations between our European partners and Greece’s new government, the whole point is to forge new motives. To fashion a fresh mind-set that transcends national divides, dissolves the creditor-debtor distinction in favor of a pan-European perspective, and places the common European good above petty politics, dogma that proves toxic if universalized, and an us-versus-them mind-set.

Source http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/17/opinion/yanis-varoufakis-no-time-for-games-in-europe.html

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What do you think of the Greek finance minster's comments?

I think he's doing the right thing. The previous government gave to one too many things whilst being very corrupt, almost being pushed around freely by other European powers. Instead, Greece has to make a stand, and actually work out a deal that is deemed fair even for Greece.

And that's what the government wants, but in a way that it also doesn't choke Greece to death at the same time. The objective is to have a growth and being able to pay the debt. Otherwise, who is going to pay for it without any money in the first place? Due to all the measures of the past few years, the middle class, and the industry mostly got decimated.

People can't simply keep paying forever in these conditions. The idea is to actually attempt some economical growth for the country and pay the debt based on that growth whilst fighting the inside corruption that was furthered by the previous governments.

And that absolutely shouldn't include an indefinite line of financial support to encourage more profligacy on the part of the Greek government. We are not going to be paying for future mistakes; fiscal austerity and economic restructuring are simply necessary.

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Quoting the article directly

Against such cynicism the new Greek government will innovate. We shall desist, whatever the consequences, from deals that are wrong for Greece and wrong for Europe. The “extend and pretend” game that began after Greece’s public debt became unserviceable in 2010 will end. No more loans — not until we have a credible plan for growing the economy in order to repay those loans, help the middle class get back on its feet and address the hideous humanitarian crisis. No more “reform” programs that target poor pensioners and family-owned pharmacies while leaving large-scale corruption untouched.