France refuses to see Greece leave euro zone - PM Valls

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said maintaining Greece in the euro zone was a geopolitical priority for Europe and that any development that weakened Greece would impact the global economy.

"Keeping Greece in the euro and therefore in the heart of Europe and the EU is something of the utmost geostrategic and geopolitical importance," Valls, delivering a government statement on Greece to parliament, said.

"Allowing Greece to exit the euro zone would be an admission of impotence - France refuses that," Valls said, adding that a deal between Athens and creditors was "within grasp".