Negotiators from the International Institute for Finance representing banks and other creditors left Athens after a marathon session ended in the small hours of Saturday without a breakthrough, though talks continued by telephone.
Sources close to the dispute said there is little danger that the IIF will walk out and precipitate the first sovereign default in western Europe since the Second World War.
A deal is needed to clear the way for the next round of EU-IMF aid and ensure that Athens can meet a €14.5bn (£12bn) debt payment in March. The IIF's chief Charles Dallara said the elements of a deal were "coming into place".
"Now is the time to act decisively and seize the opportunity to finalise this historic deal and contribute to the economic stability of Greece, the Euro Area and the world economy," he said.
Both Greece and the International Monetary Fund want to cap the rate on new bonds at 3.5pc, rising later as Greece recovers.
This is deemed the maximum burden that Greece can bear as the economy contracts by a further 6pc this year. The debt-load will be 120pc of GDP in 2020 even if all goes well.
The IIF thought it had a deal in the bag for 4pc so the new demands have caused friction. There is mounting anger that EU bodies will be spared a haircut on their holdings, leaving the private sector shouldering a bigger burden.
The Telegraph
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