Downgrade threat, Geithner push EU to agree plan

BERLIN — Euro­pean nations were pressed Tues­day by a credit down­grade threat and the U.S. Trea­sury chief to deliver on mar­kets’ huge hopes for a solu­tion to the 2-year-old finan­cial cri­sis engulf­ing the con­ti­nent. Ger­many and France down­played Stan­dard & Poor’s warn­ings to down­grade 15 euro­zone nations and Europe’s bailout fund. But a down­grade of their AAA rat­ings would com­pli­cate their efforts to restore investor con­fi­dence in Europe.