Sunday Times 2
Greek PM gets support but no concessions from Paris, Berlin
View(s):PARIS, Aug 25 (AFP) -France, following Germany’s lead, insisted that Greece must stay in the eurozone but ignored its request for more time to implement the austerity measures its creditors insist upon. “Greece is in the eurozone and Greece must stay in the eurozone,” French President Francois Hollande said at a joint press conference in Paris with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
“But it still has to demonstrate the credibility of its programme and the willingness of its leaders to go the whole way, while doing it in a way that is bearable for the population,” he said.Samaras was in Paris on the second leg of a trip to try to win more time for his country to meet a deadline to slash billions of euros (dollars) from its budget.
He kicked off the two-day trip on Friday in Berlin with his troubled country’s future in the 17-nation eurozone in the balance as its cash reserves dry up and a new injection of European funds hangs by a thread.Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel offered him a ray of hope at their meeting, stressing she wanted debt-burdened Greece to stay in the eurozone and pledging German help.
Hollande had the same message, saying that the European Union would wait for a report on Greece’s progress due in September before deciding on any additional help for the country.
“Once we have this report, once the commitments… are confirmed, Europe has to do what it has to do,” Hollande said.
The report on Greece’s progress in implementing reforms will be drawn up by auditors sent by the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank.
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