Eurogroup head Jean-Claude Juncker gave support on to a French proposal to set international limits on bankers' bonuses.
"I totally support the proposals made by France," for a G20 summit to be held in the United States on September 24-25, Luxembourg Prime Minister and Eurogroup head Juncker told reporters as he arrived for a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels.
Earlier French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced his intention to urge his G20 partners to limit banking bonuses, after winning a commitment from French bankers for a system of performance-related pay for traders.
Juncker "would not refuse" to serve as EU president
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."
afew:
LEAD 2 Paris peu enthousiaste sur Juncker à la tête de l'UE | ReutersPlusieurs diplomates européens ont indiqué mardi que Paris continuait de soutenir la candidature Blair même si l'Elysée n'est pas prête à aller jusqu'à l'affrontement sur cette question avec certains de ses partenaires européens, qui s'inquiètent du poids trop important qui serait réservé aux grands pays au détriment des petits. Cette question figurera au menu d'un dîner entre Nicolas Sarkozy et Angela Merkel, mercredi à Paris. Roughly: European diplomats say Paris isn't supportive of Juncker and still backs Blair, even if the Elysée is not ready to go as far as a face-off with European partners who worry about too much weight being given to the big countries over the small. Sarkozy and Merkel will talk about this over dinner in Paris on Wednesday.
Plusieurs diplomates européens ont indiqué mardi que Paris continuait de soutenir la candidature Blair même si l'Elysée n'est pas prête à aller jusqu'à l'affrontement sur cette question avec certains de ses partenaires européens, qui s'inquiètent du poids trop important qui serait réservé aux grands pays au détriment des petits. Cette question figurera au menu d'un dîner entre Nicolas Sarkozy et Angela Merkel, mercredi à Paris.
Plusieurs diplomates européens ont indiqué mardi que Paris continuait de soutenir la candidature Blair même si l'Elysée n'est pas prête à aller jusqu'à l'affrontement sur cette question avec certains de ses partenaires européens, qui s'inquiètent du poids trop important qui serait réservé aux grands pays au détriment des petits.
Cette question figurera au menu d'un dîner entre Nicolas Sarkozy et Angela Merkel, mercredi à Paris.
Roughly: European diplomats say Paris isn't supportive of Juncker and still backs Blair, even if the Elysée is not ready to go as far as a face-off with European partners who worry about too much weight being given to the big countries over the small.
Sarkozy and Merkel will talk about this over dinner in Paris on Wednesday.
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy, initially dubbed Sarko the American for his pro-U.S. stance, is finding it much tougher to deal with Washington than he had anticipated and is recalibrating his policies accordingly.
CHIDING OBAMA
... the chemistry never bubbled. Analysts say Obama clearly prefers dealing with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Sarkozy is visibly frustrated by the situation.
Sarkozy's critics say he is jealous of Obama's high profile and hurt by public putdowns -- such as the U.S. president's refusal to dine with him during a visit to Paris last June.
Officials say the disconnect is centred on real issues, such as Obama's attitude to Iran's nuclear ambitions, which has been less hardline than Sarkozy's hawkish stance .
● Sarkozy and Merkel on Turkey's Membership Bid: One Europe or Many?
As a result, Sarkozy will not particularly like to be in the shadow of Tony Blair. I support the view Sarkozy is using Blair as a deviation to be open to bargaining the coming weeks.
The dark horse in the race: JP Balkenende.
