Merkel phones Greek president, calls for stable government

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Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a stable Greek government to be formed quickly after new elections in a telephone call with President Carolos Papoulias on Friday, a German government spokesman said.

"The chancellor had a telephone conversation on Friday morning with Mr Papoulias," deputy government spokesman Georg Streiter told a regular news conference here.

"She repeated the German position that we are waiting for the elections and that it is the wish of all European partners and also of Germany that a government is formed as quickly as possible after these elections," he said.

Streiter declined to offer more details, saying the conversation was 'confidential'.

He played down the call, saying that the pair would undoubtedly have several similar conversations in the future, as they had in the past.

Asked whether Germany was preparing for a Greek exit from the euro, a spokeswoman cited earlier comments from Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble that 'our citizens expect us to be prepared for every eventuality'.