BERLIN (MNI) – The German government believes that its deputy
finance minister, Joerg Asmussen, is well qualified for taking charge of
the economics portfolio at the European Central Bank, government
spokesman Steffen Seibert said Wednesday.
“It was always clear that we take Joerg Asmussen for being
qualified to be considered for the post of the chief economist” of the
ECB, Seibert said at a regular government press conference here.
“The decision is up to the [ECB] Executive Board, respectively [ECB
president Mario] Draghi,” the spokesman said. “However he decides, we
will support it, because we have a high interest in a good functioning
of the ECB.”
Asmussen is to join the ECB’s Executive Board at the end of the
year to replace Juergen Stark, also a German national, who announced his
resignation in September. Stark is in charge of the economics portfolio
at the ECB.
France would like its new representative on the board, Benoit
Coeure, to be considered for the chief economist job, the business daily
Les Echos reported Wednesday.
–Berlin bureau: +49-30-22 62 05 80; email: twidder@marketnews.com
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