BRUSSELS, July 12 (Reuters) - Euro zone leaders will fight to the finish to keep near-bankrupt Greece in the euro zone on Sunday after the European Union's chairman cancelled a planned summit of all 28 EU leaders that would have been needed in case of a "Grexit".
The following are comments from the euro zone leaders and others attending a meeting in Brussels on Sunday.
IRISH PRIME MINISTER ENDA KENNY
"Every day that this goes on the eventual solution is more costly.
The Greeks have actually strengthened their commitment to change and to building trust which seems to be a fundamental issue."
LITHUANIA PRESIDENT DALIA GRYBAUSKAITE
"Both possible scenarios, staying in the euro zone or outside, in both cases Europe will be behind Greece and help, but it will be in both cases very, very costly for everybody and a very long way out. Temporary proposals will help no one. We need a good plan one way or the other."
GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL
"It seems as though we will not get a consensus document from the Eurogroup that recommends launching negotiations. That is hardly surprising as the situation is extremely difficult. On the one hand, when one thinks of the economic situation in Greece and how it has deteriorated over the past few months but on the other hand, because the most important currency has been lost and that is trust."
"That means that we will have tough discussions and there will be no agreement at any price. I know nerves are on edge but we must be sure that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, both for the future of Greece and for the euro zone as a whole and the principles of our cooperation. That means that this evening we will check whether the conditions are present for us to launch negotiations on an ESM programme for Greece. That's what this is about, nothing more and nothing less. But whether or not we will succeed, we'll have to see."
FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS HOLLANDE
"France will do everything to find a deal tonight, allowing Greece, if the conditions are met, to remain in the euro zone and allowing Europe to progress."
"There is no temporary Grexit, there is a Grexit or there is not a Grexit. There is Greece in the euro zone or Greece not in the euro zone, but in that case it's a Europe that retreats and does not progress any longer and I don't want this."
"Greece has already made some efforts, there are reforms that are necessary, Greece must show that she is ready to enact them quickly, and then Europe as a whole, the euro zone must say that they lend their support."
EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER