Sharp divisions have emerged within Europe over how to deal with Greece's debt crisis on the eve of a summit that will be dominated by talks over the need to shore up confidence in the eurozone.
Non-eurozone countries, led by the UK and Sweden, yesterday broke from the public position of Germany, France and other euro area states by suggesting that, if Greece required help, the International Monetary Fund was best placed to supply it.
A Swedish official said: “The IMF has the technical know-ledge”. Officials in London suggested the risk of financial contagion from the Greek crisis meant that it should not be regarded as a matter exclusively for the 16 eurozone countries.