Cypriot officials are trying to come up with an alternate plan to raise $7.5 billion to avoid a debt default, after a proposed tax sparked protests across the island.
Cypriot Leaders Continue Debt Negotiations
![Bank of Cyprus employees sit in front of riot police during a protest outside Greece's Finance Ministry as the bank remains closed for third day in central Athens, March 21, 2013.](https://gdb.voanews.com/bcfb9bbb-355d-4451-8648-db6d4ae940a0_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Bank of Cyprus employees sit in front of riot police during a protest outside Greece's Finance Ministry as the bank remains closed for third day in central Athens, March 21, 2013.
![People line up at an ATM outside a closed Laiki Bank branch in Nicosia, Cyprus, March 21, 2013.](https://gdb.voanews.com/73561c1b-b3a1-488f-af01-ce5f2a1c4fb9_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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People line up at an ATM outside a closed Laiki Bank branch in Nicosia, Cyprus, March 21, 2013.
![Employees of the Bank of Cyprus take part in a rally in solidarity with Cyprus outside the headquarters of the bank in Athens, Greece, March 20, 2013.](https://gdb.voanews.com/6fe765f6-edff-4792-92d7-27fc1e221064_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Employees of the Bank of Cyprus take part in a rally in solidarity with Cyprus outside the headquarters of the bank in Athens, Greece, March 20, 2013.
![International Monetary Fund mission chief Delia Velculescu arrives for a meeting with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades at the presidential palace in Nicosia, Cyprus, March 20, 2013.](https://gdb.voanews.com/1215147a-15a9-49c0-8f04-74f2290e917e_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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International Monetary Fund mission chief Delia Velculescu arrives for a meeting with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades at the presidential palace in Nicosia, Cyprus, March 20, 2013.