Updated: 02/22/2013 22:10 | By Agence France-Presse

France says 'conditions' right for deficit target delay

France is justified in seeking a delay from the EU in the requirement to cut the public deficit to 3 percent of GDP this year, Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said on Friday.

Moscovici said the "conditions were right" for seeking the delay, after the European Commission earlier Friday slashed its growth forecast for France to 0.1 percent this year and said the deficit would come in at 3.7 percent of GDP.

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