FOREX-Euro holds steady but renewed Greek woes weigh

(Repeats to fix technical glitch)

* Eur/dlr under pressure but support likely near $1.3500

* Euro around 17-mth low vs Swiss franc after SNB comments

* Sterling dips after comments from BoE's Sentance

By Kaori Kaneko

TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - The euro stabilised but remained under pressure on Friday after Greece said it could not achieve promised deficit cuts if its borrowing costs remain so high.

The euro had fallen broadly the previous day on worries over Greece's debt problems after a media report said the country was not optimistic about aid from euro zone members and could call in the International Monetary Fund if European leaders do not agree on a rescue plan next week.

But Greece said aid from the global lender was a last resort. [ID:nLDE62H0LL]

"Uncertainty surrounding a rescue for Greece suggests that the euro is facing deep structural problems and a quick resolution is unlikely," said Kosuke Hanao, head of Treasury product sales at HSBC in Tokyo.

"So, the euro will struggle to gain for sometime to come, even when the dollar slides against other major currencies," he said.

The euro was steady around $1.3620 after falling as much as 1 percent to $1.3586 on trading platform EBS the previous day. The European single currency has pulled back from a five-week high of $1.3819 hit on EBS earlier this week.

Near term support for the euro is seen around $1.3500 as the currency stayed above that level last week, traders said.

The European single currency also hovered around a 17-month low against the Swiss franc after Swiss National Bank board member Jean-Pierre Danthine said on Thursday that Swiss firms and consumers should prepare for rising borrowing costs as interest rates cannot stay ultra-low forever. [ID:nLDE62H2EE]

The euro was steady at 1.4405 francs after falling as far as 1.4355 francs on EBS on Thursday, its weakest level since October 2008.

The euro, however, found some bids against sterling after Bank of England policymaker Andrew Sentance said there is a risk Britain may suffer a double-dip recession, although it was not the most likely scenario. [ID:nLAW002125] [nLAW002126]

The euro rose 0.2 percent against sterling to 89.44 pence while sterling fell 0.2 percent to $1.5224 .

The dollar was seen supported against the yen by the regular commercial needs of Japanese firms on every fifth day of the month and before a three-day weekend in Japan, but the upper end of 90 yen was capped by heavy sell orders, traders said.

The dollar rose 0.1 percent to 90.45 yen and the euro was up 0.2 percent at 123.23 yen .

Higher-yielding currencies such as the Australian dollar retained strength on firm regional stocks. Asian stocks <.MIAPJ0000PUS> <.N225> rose on Friday with investor expectations of a steady economic recovery helping markets close in on a sixth straight week of gains.

"Currencies of countries with resources such as the Aussie and the Canadian dollar are gaining support as global stocks have been basically firm," said a trader at a Japanese bank.

"We may see some profit-taking in those currencies but they are likely to remain firm," he said.

The Aussie rose 0.2 percent to $0.9221 , in sight of an eight-week high of $0.9253 hit this week. Against the yen, the Aussie advanced 0.3 percent to 83.39 yen .

Against the Canadian dollar, the greenback was up 0.2 percent at C$1.0162 but stayed within a reach of a 20-month low of C$1.0071 touched on Wednesday.

Traders say the pair may hit parity in the near term on speculation that Canadian interest rates may soon rise. The market awaits Canadian consumer inflation data for February and retail sales for January due later in the day. (Additional reporting by Satomi Noguchi; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)