EU's Van Rompuy says Germany taking eurozone responsibility

Feb 6, 2012, 19:06 GMT

Berlin - European Council President Herman Van Rompuy chided Germany Monday for complaining at the cost of righting the eurozone crisis - but added he believed Germany was accepting responsibility at last.

In a speech prepared for delivery at Humboldt University in the Berlin, Van Rompuy said, 'Sometimes I have the impression that some Germans feel they are being made to take sole responsibility for the debt crisis.

'That's not true. One quarter coming from the German purse means that three quarters is coming from the purses of the other eurozone nations.'

Van Rompuy spoke of 'the fact that solving the crisis is taking much time - more time than expected, let's be honest,' but voiced optimism that 'the Germans will overcome their rather cautious attitude and throw all their weight behind 'more Europe'.'

He told an audience of students and professors, 'Each country - and I am in particular thinking of Greece - is not only responsible for itself but also for the monetary union as a whole.'

Van Rompuy also praised progress in forging new treaties and establishing greater 'peer pressure' at European summits.

'Situations like the one we went through in 2003-05 when the rules of the Stability Pact were discarded, not least by Germany and France, will not be repeated,' he said.

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