BY STELIOS BOURAS, ALKMAN GRANITSAS AND COSTAS PARIS

ATHENS—Greece has agreed to lay off 15,000 public-sector workers by the end of 2012, a government minister said Monday, as international pressure mounts on Athens to accept austerity measures needed to secure major new debt agreements.

The cuts will come by abolishing or cutting back a number of public-sector entities, Administrative Reform Minister Dimitris Reppas said in a statement.

The announcement late Monday signaled a concession after meetings between Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and the country's political leaders over a reform program demanded by the country's creditors had been delayed for another day. Party leaders remain at odds over ...