ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande on Saturday that Greeks "would survive", irrespective of a decision by euro zone finance ministers to extend an existing bailout programme.
"Alexis Tsipras stressed that, whatever decision taken by the euro group, that the Greek people would have oxygen next week, and it will survive," a Greek government official said.
Euro zone finance ministers on Saturday rejected requests by Greece for a brief extension of a financing programme that culd allow it to beat a June 30 deadline for a 1.6 billion euro payment to the IMF.
Earlier on Saturday, Tsipras called a snap referendum on July 5 for Greeks to decide whether to endorse or accept lenders' terms on cash for reforms.
"He (Tsipras) stressed that democracy is an ultimate value in Greece," the official said.
(Reporting By Michele Kambas)