Greece will not leave eurozone: Juncker

Reported by AAP
Saturday, August 18, 2012

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The head of the eurozone finance ministers group appears confident Greece will meet its obligations and stay in the single currency.

When asked by an Austrian newspaper if Greece would leave the eurozone, Eurogroup chief Jean-Claude Juncker, said: "It won't happen ... If Greece refused outright budget consolidation and structural reforms then we would have to consider this question.

"But because I believe that Greece will try to redouble its efforts to meet its targets there is no reason to expect this exit scenario will become relevant."

Juncker, who is Luxembourg prime minister, made the comments in an interview with Tiroler Tageszeitung newspaper.

He is due to meet Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras in Athens on Wednesday amid reports that Greece will seek more time to implement the austerity cuts promised in return for two huge bailouts.

Samaras is due to hold talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday before he travels to Paris to meet French President Francois Hollande the following day. Merkel and Hollande will meet in Berlin on Thursday.

20/05/2013 22:30Sydney, Australia. 20 May,2013
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