PARIS — French officials said Sunday they would support the new Greek government’s efforts to get the country back on its feet after five years of crushing austerity, but warned that there would be no write-down of Greece’s debt and pressed Athens to continue with reforms that are still needed to help mend the country’s economy.
“France is more than prepared to support Greece,” Michel Sapin, the French finance minister, said during a news conference after a two-day visit by Yanis Varoufakis, his new Greek counterpart. “Greece needs time to put things to work,” he said. But he added, there was “no question” of forgiving Greek debt.
Mr. Varoufakis was beginning the first of a series of visits to European capitals this week after the leftist Syriza party won power in elections last month in a populist backlash against austerity. He said that although Athens was “desperate” for money, it would not seek a 7 billion euro installment on its 240 billion euro international bailout package because that would require the nation to adhere to austerity terms.
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On Sunday, Mr. Varoufakis said he planned to visit Berlin and Frankfurt this week to press Greece’s case with German officials, many of whom are incensed at the country’s withdrawal from austerity. On Saturday, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany reiterated that Greece would not receive any debt cancellation from its partners.
A version of this article appears in print on February 2, 2015, on page B3 of the New York edition with the headline: France Offers Support, but No Debt Relief, to Greece. Order Reprints| Today’s Paper|Subscribe
