Germany's big banks signalled today that they planned to join Berlin's efforts to throw a financial lifeline to crisis-hit Greece, dpa reported. "It's extraordinarily important that as this house has begun to burn that the fire be really extinguished," said Deutsche Bank chief Josef Ackermann at a press conference in Berlin with German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and DZ Bank chief Wolfgang Kirsch. Ackermann said that action to support Greece was an enormously important signal for the 16-member eurozone and the world economy. The Deutsche Bank chief said the banks' voluntary support for Greece was also a sign that the banking sector backed the rescue plan and restructuring moves for the crisis-hit country. Speaking at the press conference, Schaeuble said the banks wanted to keep open existing credit lines and loans to the Greek government and other banks in the eurozone. The meeting in Berlin came in the wake of weekend moves to finalize the 110-billion-euro (145-billion-dollar) European- International Monetary Fund Greek bailout. Meanwhile, Germany's main opposition party increased the pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel by demanding this week's parliamentary debate on the Greek bailout be considered a vote of confidence. Faced with widespread voter anger about Germany's role in the Greek bailout, the call by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) will possibly draw out critics in the ranks of Merkel's conservative-led coalition. -- SPA
