Germany will accept a boost of the eurozone's financial firewall against the debt crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel said here Monday, ahead of talks on the issue by European finance ministers.

Merkel said at a news conference that German government would be open to the combination of the permanent bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), and its predecessor, the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF).

Her statement came as a obvious shift of position, as Merkel, sometimes nicknamed "Frau Nein" (Madam No), has stood firmly against boosting the 500-billion-euro (655 billion U.S. dollars) ceiling of the ESM in the past months.

Merkel told reporters that some 200 billion euros, which has been committed from EFSF, will work together with the upcoming ESM to keep indebted countries afloat.

The ESM is set to come into force in July, months before the temporary EFSF expires in 2013. Under the current scheme, the 200 billion euros committed from EFSF would have to be subtracted from the ESM's available fund.

"To ensure we have 500 billion euros available, we could image it run parallel to programs already handed out," Merkel said.

She said the combination would last until the 200 billion euros is paid back by the so-called "program countries," and that this would take "several years."

After the 200 billion euros from EFSF is paid back, "the ESM will stand alone with its 500 billion euros," the chancellor added.

Eurozone finance ministers are due to meet in Copenhagen on Friday and will debate on the issue during two days of informal talks.