France to back Greek debt relief at finance ministers talks

PARIS (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron says his new administration will push for an international debt relief deal for austerity-weary Greece.

Macron's office says that he spoke Monday with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and stressed "his determination to find an accord soon to lighten the burden of Greek debt over the long term." The phone conversation was the first contact between the two since Macron's election earlier this month.

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, named last week, is joining EU finance ministers for talks Monday and Tuesday expected to focus on Greece's debt problems.

Athens hopes that the ministers will agree this week on a deal on easing Greece's debt repayment terms.

Successive Greek governments have slashed spending in return for bailout money to avoid bankruptcy.