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Denmark resists Merkel pressure for quick EU treaty changes
Nov 17, 2011, 13:24 GMT
Berlin - Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt resisted pressure Thursday from Germany for quick changes to European Union treaties, telling German Chancellor Angela Merkel to deal with 'first things first.'
The two met in Berlin for talks amid a growing EU row over Germany's demands for Brussels to be given powers to punish eurozone governments which overspend.
'We believe in first things first,' said Thorning-Schmidt, saying the focus 'right now' was to solve the eurozone crisis 'and then discuss more discipline at a later stage.' She promised to discuss the German proposals 'openly' at a later date.
Merkel repeated her call for treaty changes that would make it easier to punish eurozone nations that breach the Stability and Growth Pact, which underpins the common currency by running high deficits.
The Danish leader said one of Denmark's priorities would be to advance a 'responsible Europe' where 'each is responsible' for obeying the rules.
Denmark, which is not a member of the 17-nation eurozone, takes over the EU presidency on January 1.
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