German Chancellor Angela Merkel parried attempts to get her to accept more flexible use of the euro-region's rescue funds and collectively financing debt, while agreeing with leaders of Italy, Spain and France on a proposal to spur economic growth.

In a meeting in Rome, Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, French President Francois Hollande and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said they would lobby their European Union partners to accept a growth plan worth as much as 130 billion euros ($162 billion), or about 1 percent of the euro-region's economic output. They didn't give specifics about the plan or how it would be financed.

European leaders are looking for a way out of their almost three-year old debt crisis that has forced four countries to seek bailouts. Leaders are racing to come up with a plan by a summit on June 28-29 to convince the investors that they can salvage the region's monetary union.