Chancellor Angela Merkel appealed on Wednesday for calm, after eurogroup leader Jean-Claude Juncker criticized Germany for creating "taboo zones," in its approach to the euro currency crisis, DPA reports.
"We should work in a calm and targeted manner towards that which awaits us next Friday," Merkel said of an upcoming European Union summit at which leaders are to agree on a permanent euro rescue mechanism from 2013.
"My calm demeanour is my contribution to the process," she retorted to Juncker's earlier criticism.
"Germany is a bit too simple in its thinking," Juncker had written in an article to appear Thursday in weekly Zeit newspaper.
"This manner of creating taboo zones and not even considering the ideas of others is a very un-European way of dealing with European issues," he added.
At a press conference with Swedish Premier Fredrik Reinfeldt, Merkel reiterated her opposition to jointly guaranteed eurobonds, an idea championed by Juncker.
Eurobonds "do not set the correct economic incentives," Merkel said, adding, "in our opinion it is not at all compatible with the existing treaties."
"In this respect I do not think this discussion is helping us advance. We need a constructive discussion until next Friday," the chancellor added.
"We need to put all our strength into delivering good results for the future of the euro," Merkel concluded, referring to the treaty adjustments and crisis mechanism to be agreed next week.
"I can only agree," said Reinfeldt, adding that Sweden supported the necessary "minor treaty change" to implement a permanent crisis mechanism, as well as the "stronger fiscal policy" being adopted in states such as Germany.
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