* Euro zone periphery govt bond yields tmsnrt.rs/2ii2Bqr (Adds details, updates prices) June 3 (Reuters) - Euro zone bond yields edged up on Thursday but stayed near recent lows as markets sought direction ahead of next week’s ECB policy meeting, while long-dated debt auctions from Spain and France attracted decent demand. The European Central Bank will support the euro zone “well into” its recovery from a pandemic-induced double dip recession, its president Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday. ECB policymakers entered their silent period before the June 10 meeting, a week in which they avoid saying anything that could influence expectations about monetary policy decisions. Comments in recent weeks, led by Lagarde, that it would be too early for the ECB to discuss slowing its pandemic emergency bond purchases (PEPP) helped reverse a sharp sell-off in the bloc’s government bonds in May. That had been driven by speculation that the ECB may slow purchases as the bloc’s economic outlook brightens with speedier COVID vaccinations. Yields have held in a relatively tight range for the last week and that persisted on Thursday, although they edged up slightly after U.S. data showing a big private payrolls jump in May lifted U.S. Treasury yields. Germany’s 10-year yield, the benchmark for the euro area, was up 1 basis point at -0.186% by 1518 GMT. Meanwhile, long-dated debt auctions from France and Spain saw relatively good demand without weighing on the market. That was in contrast to the weak demand observed at recent auctions from Germany, one of which received less demand than the country’s target. “The underlying picture to me is that there isn’t a strong case for holding cash core bonds as the European recovery continues,” said Antoine Bouvet, senior rates strategist at ING. “A more attractive propositions is to hold bonds that offer a spread buffer on top of them” he added, referring to the additional yield countries like Spain and France offer over Germany. Spanish, French and Italian 10-year bond yields all rose between 1.3 and 1.7 basis points each, staying within recent ranges. The focus will also be on U.S. Federal Reserve speakers later on Thursday, after policymaker Patrick Harker said it may be time for the central bank to start thinking about the best way to slow the pace of its asset purchases. (Reporting by Yoruk Bahceli; Editing by Shri Navaratnam, Alexander Smith and Jonathan Oatis) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.