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Merkel says she wants Greece in euro, would consider growth measures

German Chancellor Angela Merkel insists she wants Greece to stay in the euro and has left open the option of agreeing more measures designed to boost growth.

“I want Greece to stay in the euro. I think that would be good for Greece and for all of us,» Merkel said in an interview with CNBC’s Worldwide Exchange.

“If Greece believes that we can find more stimulus in Europe in addition to the Memorandum then we have to talk about that,» she added.

Merkel met French President Francois Hollande on Wednesday. They said they would consider measures to spur economic growth in Greece as long as voters there committed to the austerity demanded to stay in the euro.

Requests for measures to bolster growth will be ?considered? and the European Union may also ?approach Greece with proposals,? Merkel said late Wednesday at a joint press conference with Hollande during his first official visit to Berlin. ?Greece can stay in the euro area,? and ?Greek citizens will be voting on exactly that.?

?I?ll respect the vote of the Greeks whatever it is,? Hollande said. ?Yet my responsibility is to give Greece a signal. I see the suffering and challenges that the Greeks feel. The Greeks need to know we?ll come with growth measures that will allow them to stay in the eurozone.?

Merkel said there was an agreed bailout program between Greece and its creditors that ?has to be adhered to.? At the same time, she said she had called New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras, who won the May 6 vote, and caretaker Prime Minister Lucas Papademos to say ?that we are prepared to help Greece overcome its structural challenges, to help with growth.?

She said that there were differences in emphasis on growth with Hollande. Growth will feature in talks among euro leaders on May 23 and again at a summit at the end of June, she said.

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