DSB To Talk To Other Dutch Banks Thursday Evening Over Future

Troubled Dutch lender DSB Bank NV will talk to a group of domestic banks Thursday evening to determine if the bank can be saved from bankruptcy, Dutch Finance Minister Wouter Bos told reporters Thursday.

A Dutch court told unlisted DSB Bank earlier Thursday that it has until 1000 GMT Friday to talk with "major banks" to find a buyer. DSB was placed into administration Monday by the Dutch Central Bank after a run on deposits.

"The talks will be between the Dutch Central Bank and DSB, and DSB and the other Dutch Banks," Bos said, adding the finance ministry will also be attending the meeting.

Last weekend, talks on a rescue operation for DSB between the Dutch Central Bank and five major Dutch banks -ING Groep NV (ING), SNS Reaal NV (SR.AE), Rabobank, ABN Amro and Fortis Bank Netherlands - failed "owing to uncertainty surrounding possible claims on DSB," the Central Bank had said previously.

After the court's decision Thursday, SNS Reaal and Fortis Bank Netherlands said that they weren't at that moment considering a takeover of DSB, while Rabobank and ING declined to comment. ABN Amro didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

-By Robin van Daalen and Bart Koster; Dow Jones Newswires; [phone]; [e-mail]