CRI听力:French Gov't Offers Support for Greece's Efforts to Renegotiate Debt 

The French government has offered support for Greece's efforts to renegotiate debt for its huge bailout plan.

Michel Sapin is the French Finance Minister.

"I would like to say that debt is one critical issue but it's an issue among others, there are a lot of other issues we should discuss together and that will lay (the) foundation of, what we could call a new deal between Greece and its partners."

The backing is a victory for Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, amid renewed fears about Europe's economic stability.

Worries have mounted that Greece's new far left government might not pay back its debts.

Varoufakis insists that Greece wants to pay the money back, but says he wants new terms and new negotiating partners.

"We are interested in minimising the losses to our partners, and the best way of doing that is by assisting Greece to turn a page, to reform and to start growing so we can actually afford to pay back everything with interest. So would it not be a splendid thing if we could come to an agreement that reboots the whole situation with a view to linking our repayments to growth in Greece so that we can ensure that everybody gets their money back."

Varoufakis is also visiting London and Rome and in a sign that his government may be trying to avoid a collision course with key creditors.

He is going to visit Berlin and Frankfurt as well.

The German government has been particularly angry at the new Greek government's position and bluntly rejected suggestions that Greece should be forgiven part of its rescue loans.

French Finance Minister Michel Sapin insisted his country wouldn't support canceling the debt, but offered backing for a new timeframe or terms.