Highlights from Greek FinMin Yanis Varoufakis’ address at the Brookings Institute on Thursday in Washington D.C., hours after an address at the same venue by Wolfgang Schauble – and as the Greek state’s coffers continue to empty.

— There could be a huge burst of optimism if Greece and its creditors can agree a new programme of reforms

— He referred to new export-driven model (ostensibly in Greece), with smart investors rushing in to take advantage.

— Varoufakis said he was greatly encouraged by Wolfgang Schauble’s comments hours earlier, “I missed this, but apparently he predicted that Greece will not quit the eurozone”

— Asked about the very “final” deadline of June 20 for a bailout extension and the chance to receive some seven billion euros in fund, he … accused the New Democracy government of sparking Greece’s liquidity squeeze by predicting a bank run if Syriza won power

— He then cited an ECB’s decision to stop accepting Greek debt as collateral back in February:

— Varoufakis repeated that he is prepared to give ground, but not be crushed:

— “We will compromise, and compromise, and compromise to reach a speedy agreement, but we will not be compromised,” was the phrase he used again, a week after first using it.

— He refused to even consider the possibility of a Grexit (unlike the William Hill betting site), saying no-one knows the impact of such a move.

— Varoufakis called for a massive European Investment Bank to fund an ambitious investment drive (in Greece) and to stimulate the entire European economy, funded by … new bonds issued by the EIB – and with the ECB ready to buy them if yields rose too high.

— Asked if as a member of the single currency union he accepts that he / Greece must abide by the euro area’s rules, he said:

— Absolutely, But we do have a right to be heard, and a right to challenge.

— “Greece is determined to reach a deal by the end of June, and quite prepared to compromise to get there,” he added.