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.