Merkel says wants Greece to stay in euro zone

LONDON (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during a visit to London on Wednesday that Greece had respected its financial commitments to its European partners in recent years and she expected this to continue, dismissing suggestions of a possible Greek exit from the euro zone. "I think one has to tell people and also the financial markets that I, a German chancellor and also the German government, has always pursued a policy of Greece staying in the euro zone and that also the commitments that we entered into between Greece and the troika, Greece and European member states, were abided by and respected," she told a news conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron. "Greece has actually made a lot of sacrifices. For many people in Greece these have been very difficult years. We've come a long way," she added. "And I have no doubt whatsoever in my mind that we'll be able to bring this to a successful conclusion -- always guided by the maxim that on the one hand the Greeks have to do their own bit and on the other hand that we have to show solidarity." (Writing by Noah Barkin and Erik Kirschbaum)