Merkel’s rescue plan warning

THE desperate plea for international monetary aid by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou would only come if the stability of the euro was threatened and Greece implemented tough new policies, German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned yesterday.

Papandreou told Greeks in a televised speech that the aid was a “national need” after the previous conservative government had left the country a “sinking ship”.

Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou said he expected no problem in getting the aid and it should be available in “a few days”.