Germany downplays chances of EU crisis summit

Germany on Wednesday played down the need for a crisis summit of Eurozone leaders in response to Greek debt contagion, saying such a meeting was not in the offing. "There are no concrete plans for such a special summit," government spokeswoman Sabine Heimbach told a regular news conference. The summit idea has been pushed by France and EU president Herman Van Rompuy. "The important thing, and that is also the view of the chancellor, is that the work of the finance ministers on the Greek rescue package continue at full speed," she said. In Brussels, diplomats said "a meeting of eurozone leaders is under consideration," while Van Rompuy said in Madrid that a summit "has not been excluded". It would be up to Van Rompuy to summon such a meeting, Heimbach acknowledged.