Angela Merkel hardens resistance to euro-area debt-sharing

Berlin Chancellor Angela Merkel hardened her resistance to euro-area debt sharing to resolve the region's financial crisis, setting Germany on a collision course with its allies at a summit of European leaders this week.

Merkel, speaking to a conference in Berlin today as Spain announced it would formally seek aid for its blighted banks, dismissed " euro bonds, euro bills and European deposit insurance with joint liability and much more" as "economically wrong and counterproductive," saying that they ran against the German constitution.

"It's not a bold prediction to say that in Brussels most eyes - all eyes - will be on Germany yet again," Merkel said.