Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said today in Paris that his government would do everything possible to ensure that it meets its deficit target for 2010, dpa reported. "We are absolutely determined that the stability programme will be implemented in every measure," Papandreou said following talks with French President Nicholas Sarkozy. "We are prepared to take any necessary measures to make sure that the deficit goal is met," the Greek prime minister added. Papandreou said he discussed the country's economic and political problems with Sarkozy and said that Greece would honour recent budget commitments it made to the European Union. Sarkozy made no comment after the meeting and refused to say whether other EU member states would offer Athens an aid package. In a statement, Sarkozy's office said the discussion had been "constructive" and that Papandreou had presented a detailed account of the measures he would take to tackle the debt crisis. Before the meeting, Sarkozy had spoken on the phone with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He was to talk with the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, later Wednesday.
