I believe that in Europe, we have a collective leadership.

I know that speaking with parties, which I do, but not very often, is seen by many as a contamination.

I am certain that most Germans have instinctive liking for Italy, just as Italians admire Germans for their many qualities.

If the euro becomes a factor promoting Europe's drifting apart, then the foundation of the European project is destroyed.

If Spain goes under, Italy will come under even more scrutiny.

This is certainly not the first case in which a merger approved in one place hasn't gone through in the other. There was a case last year where the merger between two EU companies was approved here and blocked in the U.S.

There is no government in Europe where ministers go through that kind of confirmation process, which in fact is modeled on the way the U.S. cabinet members are confirmed.