French Prime Minister Francois Fillon on Tuesday urged the leader of Greece's main opposition party to support a new restructuring plan being negotiated by the Greek government, the IMF
and the European Union.
and the European Union.
Fillon met with Antonis Samaras, the leader of Greece's conservative New Democracy party, amid concern that opposition to further austerity measures could derail a new three-year bailout for the crisis-striken euro zone state.
The European Union has called for political consensus in Greece as a condition for the bailout, which could total 80-100 billion euros ($117-147 billion), but Samaras has rejected government plans for raising taxes to tackle the budget deficit.
"Francois Fillon insisted on the need for Greek political forces to show responsibility at this crucial time, which required in particular support from the leading parties to the new structural plan being negotiated by the Greek government," a statement from the prime minister's office said.
On Sunday, at least 80,000 Greeks packed a central Athens square to vent their anger at the worsening economic crisis.
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou's government failed to persuade doubters within the ruling PASOK party on Tuesday to back a new bailout deal involving 6.4 billion euros of austerity this year alone and faster privatisations.
REUTERS
