German Foreign Minister says "bullying" of Greece must stop

PanARMENIAN.Net - Germany's centre-right government has criticized a leading conservative politician for suggesting that Greece will have to leave the eurozone, according to BBC News.

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said "bullying" of Greece must stop.

And in a TV interview Chancellor Angela Merkel said "everyone should weigh their words very carefully".

Earlier, Christian Social Union leader Alexander Dobrindt, an ally of Merkel, said he expected Greece to leave the eurozone in 2013. He said he saw "no way round" a Greek exit. He also called the European Central Bank (ECB) chief Mario Draghi "Europe's currency forger".

His party, a junior coalition partner of Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), is preparing for an election in Bavaria and Germany's general elections next year.

Last week Mrs Merkel reiterated that she wanted Greece to stay in the eurozone. And on Sunday she told German ARD television that "we are in a very decisive phase in combating the euro debt crisis".

Greece is under pressure to speed up far-reaching reforms, including privatization and civil service job cuts, in order to continue receiving installments of its 130bn-euro (£103bn; $163bn) international bailout.

Westerwelle warned that remarks like Dobrindt's could harm Germany's reputation as the eurozone tackles the debt crisis.