MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

France and Germany insist in European control of IMF.

France and Germany, as tradition indicates, want a European national to replace resigned Horst Koehler as the next Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, German Finance Minister Hans Eichel said in Berlin.

"We have agreed that the next Managing Director should be European" indicated Mr. Eichel sitting next to French Finance Minister Francis Mer, following a meeting of the Franco-German economic and financial council.

Mr. Eichel statement seems to have been addressed to the growing opinion among IMF country members questioning the European monopoly in the nomination process of the IMF chief.

Last weekend IMF Executive Directors from Asia, Africa, Latinamerica, Middle East, Australia, Switzerland and Russia demanded the nomination of a candidate "whatever his nationality".

Latinamerica actually supports Rodrigo Rato, Spain's Finance Minister and second vicepresident of the outgoing conservative administration of President Jose Aznar.

Mr. Koehler's unexpected resignation to run for president of Germany as the candidate of the opposition Christian Democrats opened a succession debate questioning European supremacy in the naming of a continental national as Managing Director of the IMF.