PARIS - SPANISH Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero urged French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday to call an urgent meeting of euro-zone leaders to confront the global financial crisis.

The meeting of the 15-member euro-group should be held to agree on 'strong and coordinated action' in the face of the banking meltdown that is rattling stock markets, Mr Zapatero said.

Mr Sarkozy said the proposal was 'interesting, relevant and useful' but added he would consult other European governments before calling such a meeting. -- AFP