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发帖数: 8227 | 1 EU Official: Greek Exit Plans Discussed
BRUSSELS—The European Commission and the European Central Bank are drawing
up plans should Greece abandon the euro, Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht
said in an interview published Friday, the first time a senior European
Union official has acknowledged such preparations.
The ECB and the commission are "working on emergency scenarios in case
Greece doesn't make it," Mr. De Gucht said in an interview with the Flemish
newspaper De Standaard. Phone calls to Mr. De Gucht's office weren't
returned.
In the interview, Mr. De Gutch said it was imperative Greece follow through
on its economic overhaul and remain within the currency union.
"There is no alternative. Greece must stick to the deals that have been
agreed. That's the only rational option for the country," the paper reported
him as saying. "Ultimately, I think Greece will stay in the monetary union,
" Mr. De Gutch said.
European Economics Commissioner Olli Rehn quickly countered Mr. De Gucht's
comments about the contingency plans, saying: "We are not working on the
scenario of a Greek exit. We are working on the basis of a scenario of
Greece staying in."
In an interview to be aired later Friday on Channel 4 Television in the U.K.
, Mr. Rehn also pointed out that his colleague was "responsible for trade. I
am responsible for financial and economic affairs and relations with the
ECB."
Earlier, a commission spokeswoman denied that contingency plans for a Greek
exit were under way. An ECB spokesman said in an email the bank doesn't "
engage in any speculations about any emergency plans or possible scenarios
and therefore do not comment Commissioner De Gucht's statement."
The "immutable preference" is for Greece to stay in the currency bloc, the
spokesman said, echoing comments Wednesday from ECB President Mario Draghi.
Contingency plans have long been speculated on but remain taboo in Brussels,
where EU officials have long said euro-withdrawal is out of the question.
The Greek elections May 6 threw into doubt the country's ability to meet
conditions in its bailout deal with international lenders, potentially
cutting off the financing needed to keep the country afloat and forcing it
from the 17-nation euro zone. Greece recently completed the biggest debt
write-down in history.
Talk of Greek restructuring in the early days of its debt crisis was
similarly avoided by EU officials.
Mr. De Gucht said Greeks should not assume the EU will bend on the country's
bailout if antiausterity parties prevail in fresh elections next month. He
refused to discuss details. There is "no margin" for concessions, Mr. De
Gucht said in the interview.
Earlier this week, some EU finance ministers signaled there might be limited
scope to relax some of the tough fiscal targets set on Greece by the ECB,
the commission and the International Monetary Fund in return for financial
assistance.
The commission spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen dismissed Mr. De Gucht's
comments. "This is not a scenario that we are working on," she told
reporters.
Many experts say a Greek exit from the euro zone may spell the demise of the
currency bloc.
Mr. De Gucht played down the risk that other countries would pull out.
"The chaos in Greece would be so great, that other citizens will realize
they don't want to leave. I am sure of that."
He didn't rule out further Greek elections beyond those expected in June or
a referendum on euro-zone membership where the country would "perhaps vote
differently." | k*******d
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