Merkel: respect new euro rules, tend growth

(AP) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel says Europe must abide by the new rules it has agreed on to stabilize the euro, and also turn its attention to generating economic growth.

Most European Union leaders agreed a week ago to participate in a new budget-stability treaty -- designed to deter runaway deficits and supposed to become law by March.

Merkel said in her weekly video podcast Saturday that it's important the agreements be implemented. She says: "we must above all keep to these rules in future -- and that won't always be very easy."

Merkel added: "we must then take care of growth, in that we generate growth again, invest in the future -- as far as possible not on credit, of course -- and that jobs arise from this."

The chancellor says youth unemployment in Europe is much too high.