Merkel says won't force Greece out of euro

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday she did not want to see Greece being forced out of the euro, warning that this would have "unforeseeable consequences".

"I will have no part in forcing Greece out of the euro," she said in response to a question from a Greek student at a meeting with young people in a Berlin museum.

Talking shortly after feuding Greek political leaders postponed a meeting scheduled for Tuesday on the conditions for a 130 billion euro second bailout package, the chancellor said there was no alternative for Greece to painful reforms.

"We don't do it to make things difficult for people, what would be our interest in doing that? But we want to reach a point where Greece can, with European help, live off its resources," said Merkel. "Nobody wants to force reforms on them from outside," she said.