More Spin on Danes

["Henry C.K. Liu" <hliu@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

ECB's Duisenberg Rejects Blame for Denmark's `No' Vote on Euro
                    By James G. Neuger and Poilin Breathnach

Brussels, Sept. 29 (Bloomberg) -- European Central Bank President Wim
Duisenberg said Denmark harmed its economy by rejecting the euro --
adding that the 5.3 million Danes only have themselves to blame.

``The Danish people have chosen to deprive themselves of the benefits''
they would have enjoyed by swapping the krone for the 21-month-old euro,
Duisenberg said. Danes ``have a cake, but they can't eat it at the  same
time,'' he said.

Duisenberg told Bloomberg News that central bankers and political
leaders ``can't be faulted'' for the Danish rejection. The margin -- 53
percent to 47 percent -- surprised pollsters, who had predicted a dead
heat.

Spoken like a rejected suitor.

Henry

Duisenberg and EU finance ministers dismissed suggestions that Danes
were turned off by the EU's eight-month boycott of Austria's right-wing
government -- a measure that many in Denmark saw as a sign of larger EU
countries, such as France and Germany, bullying smaller countries. The
embargo was lifted earlier this month.

Full report:

http://quote.bloomberg.com/fgcgi.cgi?ptitle=Top%20World%20News&s1=blk&tp=ad_topright_topworld&T=markets_bfgcgi_content99.ht&s2=blk&bt=ad_position1_windex&middle=ad_frame2_windex&s=AOdSaQxU6RUNCJ3Mg