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Greece's position in Europe will not be put in doubt.

Our position in Europe is not negotiable. The Greek people will defend it by all means. But participation in the euro involves rules and obligations, which we must consistently meet. Greece belongs to Europe and Europe cannot be envisaged without Greece.

I think it's often discussed that leaving the Euro is an option for Greece. I think this is really not an option.

The Greek people do not want to exit the euro. And I believe the Greek people already have shown that they have made major sacrifices to stay in the euro zone.

If we were the problem, it would be very convenient - kick Greece out, everything's fine. What would happen to Spain, what about Portugal, what about Italy, what about the whole of the euro zone? We need more cooperation and less simplification and prejudice.

There is no better protection against the euro crisis than successful structural reforms in southern Europe.

The euro area must not be treated as an 'opt out' from the European Union.

Greece is not an easy country to do business in.

Europe and the euro zone have no reason, rationally, to push Greece out of the euro. But this is a system in which many parties, many countries, many governments, many electorates participate and we could have events which, rationally, are not controllable.

We cannot allow the bankruptcy of a euro member state like Greece to turn into a second Lehman Brothers.