BRUSSELS (MNI) – Eurozone governments are not discussing an
emergency aid package for Ireland despite reports and rumors to the
country, a spokesman for Eurogroup President Jean-Claude Juncker told
Market News International.
Asked about reports that EMU states are working behind the scenes
to prepare an aid deal even before Ireland asks for it, the spokesman,
Guy Schuller, replied, “no, that’s not true.”
Such a rescue package “cannot be discussed before Ireland asks for
it,” he said. “There is no meeting, no conference, no discussion.”
Earlier today, Germany’s business daily Handelsblatt, citing German
government sources, said EMU states were working on a contingency aid
package for Ireland even though he acknowledged that Ireland had not yet
requested aid.
Later, rumors swept through markets, according to which there was
an E48 billion package in the offing.
Schuller said Juncker would make comments about the peripheral
Eurozone states after a scheduled meeting of the Eurogroup next Tuesday,
when finance ministers — along with ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet
and European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn —
will discuss the situations in Greece, Portugal and Ireland.
–Emma Charlton, echarlton@marketnews.com; +324-8780-3665
[TOPICS: M$$EC$,M$X$$$,MT$$$$,MGX$$$$,M$$CR$]