German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday, February 24 ruled out Greece leaving the eurozone or to Athens being forced into default, M&C reported citing DPA.

“This path is unpredictable and involves considerable risks,” she told an economics conference in the northern German city of Stralsund.

Instead, Merkel praised Greece's efforts at addressing its debt crisis and stressed the need to hold the 17-member eurozone together.

“What Greece decided in the last few days is considerable,” she told the conference, which was organized by her conservative Christian Democrat Party.