(7 May 1998) French/Ger/Eng/Nat
The man chosen to be Europe's most powerful banker has launched a scathing attack on the E-U leaders who appointed him.
Dutchman Wim Duisenberg, the first head of the European Central Bank, said the E-U summit row last weekend over his appointment - and successor - had left a "bad taste" in the mouth.
His comments came as the leaders of France and Germany wrapped up a summit in the French city of Avignon in which the two tried put the rift over Europe's top banker behind them.
Wim Duisenberg was appointed as the first President of the European Central Bank after a chaotic E-U summit in Brussels last weekend.
Germany and France spent Saturday at loggerheads over the issue of who should head the Bank.
Eleven hours of intense debate resulted in what many regard as a fudged deal, which glossed over differences between the Germans and French.
Duisenberg agreed to relinquish the role of bank president before the end of his eight year term in favour of Jean-Claude Trichet, the President of the French Central Bank.
But on Thursday, 62- year-old Duisenberg used angry words to describe the row over his appointment.
He said it was absurd to focus on the nationality of the central bank president, and at the European Parliament in Brussels, he said the power to name his departure date lay with him alone - and not with the French government.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I wanted to give a guarantee that for the first significant period at least, I would certainly be there. How long thereafter is still open."
SUPER CAPTION: Wim Duisenberg, Nominated Head of European Central Bank
French President Jacques Chirac spent Wednesday and Thursday in talks with Chancellor Helmut Kohl at a summit in the French city of Avignon.
The cordial atmosphere during the talks disguised the bitter wrangling over who should be Europe's first central bank chief.
But at a news conference Thursday, Chirac was still sticking to his guns over the issue.
SOUNDBITE: (French)
"There are some subjects which can be decided, according to their importance, by unanimous decisions, and there are others which can be decided by a qualified majority. And it is up to our states to choose what fits into one category or the other."
SUPER CAPTION: Jacques Chirac, French President
Chirac and Kohl made light of the argument, and agreed to work together on transatlantic trade issues, European Union enlargement and the development of a single European aerospace company.
Despite doing poorly in the opinion polls at home, Kohl promised he would still be in power to carry these policies forward at the next Franco-German summit - due after Germany's national elections in September.
SOUNDBITE: (German)
"In the meantime there will be an election. You read all the possible newspapers, watch German television, look to the horizon, and it isn't written there who will carry on. So you look to me. And the game has long been established. I advise you to carry on getting used to it. I will be back."
SUPER CAPTION: Helmut Kohl, German Chancellor
Kohl has faced severe criticism at home from German officials who say the deal over Duisenberg will compromise the European Central Bank's independence.
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