European Union finance ministers are expected next week to discuss who should become the new boss of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a post that requires top diplomatic skills and financial market acumen.

Discussions over the job, traditionally held by a European, will add a new twist to already complex talks over the succession of European Central Bank (ECB) executive board member Mr Eugenio Domingo Solans, whose term expires on May 31st.

Two of the names in the frame to replace IMF managing director Horst Köhler - Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Gordon Brown and Spain's economy minister, Mr Rodrigo Rato - are members of Ecofin, the EU finance ministers council.

Mr Brown is scheduled to attend Tuesday's meeting of EU finance ministers but it is unclear whether Mr Rato will attend.

Mr Köhler resigned on Thursday after his nomination as German presidential candidate.

A spokesman for the Government, which chairs the EU's rotating presidency, said the issue of his replacement may come up at the ministers' meetings on Monday and Tuesday, although it is not officially on the agenda.

Britain's Treasury dismissed as premature speculation that Mr Brown was being lined up to head the IMF, just as Spanish Prime Minister Mr José Maria Aznar said it was too early to evaluate whether Mr Rato would be a good candidate.

The Government spokesman said Ireland would try to clinch a deal on Tuesday over the succession to Spain's Mr Solans on the ECB board - an issue that has reignited simmering tension between large and small EU countries over how ECB board members should be picked.

EU diplomats, however, said the decision may be postponed to the eve of a meeting of EU heads of state in Brussels scheduled for March 25th and 26th. - (Reuters)