German leaders dismiss call for Greek euro exit

Germany's centre-right government has criticised a leading conservative politician for suggesting that Greece will have to leave the eurozone, according to BBC.

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said "bullying" of Greece must stop.

And in a TV interview Chancellor Angela Merkel said "everyone should weigh their words very carefully".

Earlier, Christian Social Union leader Alexander Dobrindt, an ally of Mrs Merkel, said he expected Greece to leave the eurozone in 2013.

He said he saw "no way round" a Greek exit. He also called the European Central Bank (ECB) chief Mario Draghi "Europe's currency forger".

His party, a junior coalition partner of Mrs Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), is preparing for an election in Bavaria and Germany's general elections next year.

Last week Mrs Merkel reiterated that she wanted Greece to stay in the eurozone. And on Sunday she told German ARD television that "we are in a very decisive phase in combating the euro debt crisis".

Greece is under pressure to speed up far-reaching reforms, including privatisation and civil service job cuts, in order to continue receiving instalments of its 130bn-euro (£103bn; $163bn) international bailout.

It is the second massive bailout agreed for Greece since the 2008 debt crisis shook the global economy and German politicians have made it clear they will not stomach a third.