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Oxfam activists post as Sarkozy, Berlusconi and Merkel in May 2011. Jacques Brinon/AP/PA Images
Eurozone

Merkel apology to Berlusconi denied, as Sarkozy criticises Greek euro entry

A spokesperson for the German Chancellor says there’s nothing to apologise for, after incident involving Merkel, Sarkozy and Berlusconi during a press conference earlier this week.

EU LEADERS managed to reach an agreement on tackling the debt crisis at this week’s Eurozone summit, but it looks as though there is some outstanding business between them – on a personal level.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in an interview following the agreement to write down 50 per cent of Greece’s debt that it had been a mistake to let Greece enter the euro when it did, France24 reports.

Sarkozy said the country simply wasn’t ready to join the currency – and had done so on incorrect financial figures.

During the interview, the French leader pointed out that neither himself nor German Chancellor Angela Merkel were in office when Greece was given the green light to join the euro.

And speaking of Merkel and Sarkozy, Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi has called for an apology from each after they appeared to smile when questioned about their faith in his leadership at a press conference earlier this week:

Der Spiegel reports that Merkel’s spokesperson denied claims she apologised to Berlusconi for the incident when they met on Wednesday, adding that there was nothing to apologise for.

Italy’s Corriere Della Sera claims that Sarkozy ignored Berlusconi when the leaders arrived at the Brussels summit, while Merkel greeted the Italian premier “warmly”. It reports that Berlusconi later said he did not have the opportunity to speak with Sarkozy at Wednesday’s meeting.

Read: EU leaders strike ‘comprehensive’ debt deal after hours of talks >

Poll: Do you think Greece has been ‘let off the hook’? >

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