Following are comments by European leaders and senior officials at a summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday focusing on ways to tackle the euro zone debt crisis.

Leaders have spent most of 2010 trying to come up with measures to stop the crisis spreading, but it has already forced Greece and Ireland to seek EU bailouts and Portugal, Spain, Belgium and others are now in the spotlight.

EU COUNCIL PRESIDENT HERMAN VAN ROMPUY

We are strengthening all our mechanisms. If needed, inside the euro zone, we can go further in terms of policy coordination and we can do it without treaty changes.

We have a strategy based on three principles: fiscal responsibility, stimulating growth and, thirdly, that the two countries with support programs (Greece and Ireland) are forcibly implementing their programs.

The heads of state and government of the euro zone stand ready to do whatever is necessary to ensure the stability of the euro zone as a whole. The political will of all member states and institutions to do whatever needs to be done is beyond doubt.

On possibility of needing a referendum to secure the ESM:

To our knowledge there is no referendum needed.

EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT JOSE MANUEL BARROSO

Today was a good day for Europe. I believe we have done what we needed to do.

Everyone around the table showed determination to do what it takes to protect the euro. We are united on this. There is a common resolve to ensure Europe comes out of this crisis stronger.

Portugal