A special eurozone summit meant to finalize a second rescue package for debt-plagued Greece and calm financial markets began on Thursday with a smaller meeting of European Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF) top officials, diplomats said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet and the chairman of the Eurogroup panel of eurozone finance ministers, Jean-Claude Juncker, were said to be taking part, DPA reported.
They were also joined by Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou, EU President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and the new head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde.
Merkel and Sarkozy had already held a separate meeting on the eve of the 17-member eurozone's summit, during which they reached an agreement on the second Greek bailout.