Eurozone finance ministers are likely to agree tomorrow on a mechanism for aiding Greece financially, if it is required, but will leave out any sums until Athens asks for them, an EU source said yesterday.

Policymakers have been debating possible financial support for the heavily-indebted EU member state for more than a month, but have provided only words of support. Germany, key to any deal, has resisted appeals to promise aid.

British newspaper The Guardian yesterday quoted sources as saying tomorrow's meeting of the currency zone's 16 finance ministers would agree to make aid of up to €25 billion available.

But a senior EU source with knowledge of preparations for tomorrow's meeting told Reuters no numbers were likely at this stage.

"I think we should be able to agree on principles of a euro area facility for coordinated assistance. The European Commission and the Eurogroup task force would have the mandate to finalise the work," the source said.

"It would be the principles and parameters of a facility or mechanism, which then could be activated if needed and requested.

He said no figure had been agreed.

"You would have a framework mechanism and you would have blank spaces for the numbers because there has been no request (from Greece) yet," the source said.