U.S. to press Europe on rebalancing demand: official

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will discuss ways that Europe can rebalance its demand to help grow the economy during a trip to the continent next week, a senior official said on Friday.

"What is very clear is that overall we're seeing very weak demand in Europe and rising levels of unemployment," a senior Treasury official said on a call briefing reporters about the trip. Lew will go to France, Belgium and Germany.

"There is clearly some capacity for demand rebalancing in the euro area. ... Of course there is greater room for the surplus countries to make a contribution."

The official also said the pace of job growth in the United States is not as fast as would be desired, and "blunt" government spending cuts could hurt the economy further.

(Reporting by Anna Yukhananov and Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Leslie Adler)