Greece exit would not end euro, says EU commissioner

The EU, IMF and European Central Bank have made further spending cuts, labour market reforms and bank rescues a condition of extending a new bailout.

European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes told a Dutch newspaper that there would be "absolutely no man overboard" if Greece left the euro.

Greek party leaders meet on Tuesday afternoon amid a general strike.

A previous meeting on Sunday night proved inconclusive, leading to further last-minute talks between Prime Minister Lukas Papademos and the Troika of official lenders on Monday.

Meanwhile, public transport and the country's ports ground to a halt as two of the largest Greek public-sector unions began a strike on Tuesday in protest at continuing austerity.

Police had to use tear gas to prevent some protesters on Syntagma Square from breaking a cordon around the parliament building.

The Greek economy is expected to suffer a fifth consecutive year of recession this year, and has already shrunk 12% since 2008.

'Good will'

"What's a man overboard?" Mrs Kroes told the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant. "It's always said that if you let one country get out, or ask it to get out, then the whole structure collapses. But that's simply not true.

"The Greeks have to realise that we Dutch and we Germans can only sell emergency Greek aid to our taxpayers if there's evidence of good will."

A similar message was delivered with a more optimistic spin by Jean-Claude Juncker, chairman of the "eurogroup" of eurozone finance ministers, who said he had no doubt that Greece would remain within the eurozone, provided that it met its obligations to other members.

"The euro will outlive us all," he said.

Mrs Kroes' boss, Commission President Jose-Manuel Barroso, also weighed in, insisting "we want Greece in the euro"; Kazinform cites BBC.

To learn more go to www.bbc.co.uk