Greece has dropped referendum plan: minister
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou (L) talks during an urgent cabinet meeting next to Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos and Interior Minister Haris Kastanidis (R) in the Greek parliament in Athens November 3, 2011. The Greek government teetered on the brink of collapse on Thursday over plans for a referendum on a euro zone bailout with turmoil in the ruling party casting grave doubt on whether Prime Minister George Papandreou can survive a confidence vote. Reuters

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece has dropped its plans to hold a controversial referendum on the country's euro zone membership, which had threatened to plunge the bloc into a crisis, the country's finance ministry said on Friday.

Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos made the pledge in telephone calls made to Eurogroup Chairman Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission's Economy and Monetary Affairs chief Olli Rehn and German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, the Greek finance ministry said in a statement.

Venizelos informed his interlocutors about the decision to not hold a referendum, the statement said.

(Reporting by Harry Papachristou)

Germany European union