BRUSSELS (MNI) – French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Friday that
Portugal alone should decide whether it needs financial support from
Europe, and he noted that the framework for such aid is in place.
The “political crisis” in Lisbon “has not changed our analysis of
the situation,” Sarkozy told reporters after the EU summit here.
“Moreover, all the mechanisms are completely at our disposal and were
accepted by all: an economic government, a pact for the euro.”
“We have complete confidence in Portugal and we are reassured to
know that all the Portuguese political forces are well aware of the
overriding need to improve the competitiveness of the Portuguese economy
and reduce Portugal’s deficit,” he said.
“It’s up to the Portuguese authorities to decide what to do,
whether or not they will seek [external support],” he said. “It’s not up
to me.”
Sarkozy underscored the “gigantic progress” achieved over the past
year in establishing an economic government for Europe: a pact to
integrate economic policy and a fund “to support countries under
speculative attack.”
These are the kinds of measures France has demanded “for a long
time,” he said. “Frankly, I don’t see today what more could be done.”
[TOPICS: M$F$$$,MGX$$$,M$X$$$]
