Eurozone divided on Athens bailout terms Eurozone finance ministers sparred over whether to allow more time for Greece to hit tough deficit targets mandated in its €174bn bailout, with representatives from most triple-A northern countries vowing no leeway while the French minister indicated his government was open to such a shift. The diverging stands, articulated by ministers as they gathered in Luxembourg for their first meeting since the weekend vote in Greece, suggested divisions were deepening among eurozone capitals in advance of an expected request by the new Greek government to extend their programme by two years. Under the terms of the current bailout, Greece must make another €11.7bn in austerity measures over the course of the next two years, and the focus of the debate is expected to centre on whether those cuts can be spread over a longer period. Pierre Moscovici, the French finance minister, said that the election of a government led by Antonis Samaras, head of the centre-right New Democracy party that backed the bailouts" terms, meant that Europe should show more understanding of the Greek plight. "We know that it means that Greece will have to respect its commitments," Mr Moscovici said. But it also means that Europe has to be sensitive to the feelings of the Greek people, and take measures in order to help the country achieve growth. Efforts must be made, but at the same time we have to create conditions for hope. Mr Moscovici's government has shown little reluctance to challenge Germany and its northern European allies - Finland, Austria and the Netherlands - in the way they have tackled the eurozone crisis, and his remarks stood in sharp contrast to ministers from those countries. Jan Kees de Jager, the Dutch finance minister, said there was no alternative to "hard, painful reform" in Greece, while Maria Feckter, his Austrian counterpart, said she expected little flexibility. "We will have to see how much time Greece missed due to its election campaign," Ms Feckter said. If it missed too much, Greece will have to work even harder. Some EU officials have said the Greek programme could be put back on a realistic track by giving Athens more time to hit its budget targets and adding about €20bn to the bailout, but new money is anathema in Germany and in the Netherlands, which is in the middle of a high-stakes national election where anti-bailout parties are gaining in the polls. Other officials have suggested that rather than shifting the deficit targets, Greece could be helped by cutting rates on bailout loans even further and extending the period for repayment. Such a plan could save Greece billions of euros without the politically difficult decision to award it more aid.