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(Reuters) - Asian markets edged up on Tuesday even as Greek resistance to the strict conditions attached to a bailout fund sapped recent momentum and the euro eased on renewed fears of a messy debt default.
Markets remained split over whether the wrangling over Greece's debt restructuring talks would eventually be resolved or trigger contagion across other vulnerable euro zone countries, tempering risk-taking investments.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> rose as much as 0.4 percent to its highest in more than five months, before paring the gains to stand up 0.1 percent.
Japan's Nikkei average <.N225> fell 0.2 percent, slipping from a three-month high just shy of 9,000 hit on Monday. .T
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"Concerns over the Greece issue are limiting real risk taking from investors, even if the environment generally appears to be improving," said Tetsu Emori, a fund manager with Astramax Co. in Tokyo.
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"I'd expect all concerned parties to eventually strike a deal because it is in nobody's interest if Greece defaults. But a further delay in the debt talks will really hamper sentiment," he said.
After resisting terms of a proposed new bailout deal which demands strict labor reforms and other austerity steps, Greek political leaders face crunch talks on Tuesday to clinch an agreement needed to avoid a debt default.
The full package must be approved by the euro zone, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund before February 15 in order to complete legal procedures for a bond swap deal for a March 20 bond redemption.
Moreover, some euro zone countries require parliamentary approval to raise the bailout money.
The euro eased 0.2 percent to $1.3110, having recovered from an overnight low of $1.3026.
The dollar was up 0.3 percent against the yen at 76.72. Data from Japan's Finance Ministry on Tuesday confirmed that Tokyo conducted stealth foreign exchange intervention in October-December, even after a massive intervention on October 31 when the yen hit a record high around 75.31.
The Australian dollar stood at $1.0710, near a six-month high set last week, ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's rate decision due at 0330 GMT.
Market players expect a 25 basis point cut due to global growth concerns and a benign inflation environment.
Commodities stabilized after falling the day before when the dollar firmed.
