Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Small eurozone nations cast doubt on union

Updated at 6:05 am on 19 August 2012

Smaller eurozone countries that have retained top credit ratings through the region's crisis are squabbling over whether struggling nations like Greece should be kicked out.

But Austrian and Finnish politicians have insisted they are committed to keeping the union intact after ministers from junior coalition parties said they were preparing for a break-up of the bloc.

The mixed messages contrast with a show of solidarity on Friday by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, which raised investor hopes that the bloc might finally be getting a grip on its problems.

In Ottawa, she said declarations from European Central Bank president Mario Draghi to do whatever it took to save the euro, are completely in line with the approach taken by European leaders.

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