Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has confirmed a new interim government will seek to defend Greece's debt deal and the country's place in the euro.

Speaking in a live televised address shortly before meeting Greece's president, where he was broadly expected to formally resign, Mr Papandreou wished the next prime minister well - but gave no indication of who it would be.

The statement came after three days of intense power-sharing negotiations between his Socialists and the opposition conservatives, led by Antonis Samaras.

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