Germany denies French leader threatened to leave euro zone over bailout package

El Pais reported Friday that Spanish Premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero told his party on Wednesday that Sarkozy made the threat at a May 7 meeting in Brussels, citing anonymous party members.
But Chancellor Angela Merkel's office said Friday that Sarkozy had not made any remarks about leaving the euro zone and called the report “absolutely without any basis.” Spain's deputy prime minister said she could not confirm Sarkozy made the remarks.
French Foreign Ministry spokesman Bernard Valero said he would not comment on “declarations attributed to Zapatero by a Spanish daily.”