Washington: European nations need to balance their near term needs of job creation and economic growth with long term objectives of putting their fiscal house in order, the US said on Thursday.
This was the major topic of discussion when US President Barack Obama, held a video conference with leaders of France, Germany and Italy yesterday.
"The President has made clear his views that Europe should take an approach that balances the near-term need to help the economy grow in Europe and help it create jobs with the medium- and longer-term need to implement reforms that help European nations get their fiscal houses in order," White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, told reporters at his daily news conference.
"That's the kind of balanced approach that the President has pursued here in the United States. I think that, as was noted, there is agreement about the need to focus on jobs and economic growth in the near term," Carney said.
The video conference, Carney said was a follow-up to the discussions around the Eurozone crisis that were held at the G-8 summit at Camp David.
The leaders also discussed the Syrian situation.
"But the Eurozone situation was the primary focus of those conversations. And they were follow-up discussions on what was discussed at the G-8. They were also discussions held in anticipation of the G-20 meeting next month," he said.
"I think one of the important things to remember about the outcome of the G-8 is that all nations agreed that there needs to be a focus on growth and job creation. And that is certainly true today and coming out of that video conference," he noted.
PTI
