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Germany's Merkel "very happy" with eurozone deal on Greek aid plan
Mar 26, 2010, 10:37 GMT
Brussels - The German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday expressed her satisfaction with the agreement reached the previous day by eurozone leaders on an aid mechanism to help Greece tackle its debt crisis.
Merkel dropped her opposition to the deal at an 11th-hour meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, just before the start of a two-day European Union summit taking place in Brussels.
'For all of us it is important that our common currency, which is a success for peace and unity, remains stable, therefore I think yesterday was an important day for the euro,' she told reporters.
German public opinion was strongly opposed to what it perceived as reckless fiscal behaviour by Greece. Merkel, whose coalition faces regional elections on May 9, therefore insisted that the eurozone would only step in to help as a last resort, and in coordination with the International Monetary Fund.
'Overall I am very happy with the Council (of EU leaders),' the German chancellor said.
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