BRUSSELS - The European Union's top monetary official will visit Greece on Monday to discuss the country's economic and financial situation, two weeks before an EU deadline for Athens to show results in cutting its deficit.

Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn will meet Greek Deputy Prime Minister Theodoros Pangalos, Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou, Labour Minister Andreas Loverdos, the European Commission said in a statement on Saturday.

Rehn will also hold talks with Bank of Greece governor George Provopoulos.

An EU mission to Athens this week said the Greek government would miss its deficit-reduction targets unless it imposes more of the spending cuts that have caused street protests.

Greece has until March 16 to convince EU finance ministers and the executive European Commission that proposed measures to cut its budget shortfall this year to 8.7 percent of gross domestic product from 12.7 percent in 2009 are sufficient.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee)

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