Greece asks for activation of debt rescue

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou made a dramatic appeal for debt relief from the European Union and the IMF on Friday and told his country it was a vital national need.

"The activation of the (EU-IMF aid) mechanism is a national need, and for this reason I ordered the finance minister to take all the necessary steps," Papandreou said in a nationally televised address.

"Our partners will do what is necessary to offer us a safe port to allow our boat to float again ... and send a message to the markets that the European Union is not playing and is protecting the euro," he said.

Papandreou made his appeal one day after fresh strikes over austerity measures to reduce a public deficit which has shaken the euro and sparked fears that the crisis could spread to other weak eurozone countries.