LUXEMBOURG (AFX) - Euro zone finance ministers are disappointed that ECB president Wim Duisenberg does not always attend their monthly meetings in person and want him to do so in future rather than sending the ECB vice-president, as he did last night, euro group president Didier Reynders said.
At the press conference on the euro group meeting, he said all euro group members want dialogue with the ECB, but "some and I think I can speak on behalf of the whole group" would prefer this dialogue to take place with the president of the ECB."
In a reference to the ongoing pressure on Duisenberg to attend euro group meetings personally, Reynders added this is "not the first time I have had the occasion to say it."
But he added the discussion with ECB vice-president Christian Noyer last night was "excellent."
The dispute with Duisenberg first arose in last autumn when Duisenberg did not attend an informal Ecofin and Eurogroup meeting in Versailles, saying he had a prior appointment at a conference in Canada.