The German Foreign Minister, Mr Klaus Kinkel, has insisted that Europe's economic and monetary union (EMU) would arrive on time in 1999 in accordance to the prescribed criteria and said talk of a delay was damaging. His remarks come as controversy grows in Germany over the euro, with leading political figures closing ranks to insist that the project would go ahead on schedule.

"There will be no delay in the euro," Mr Kinkel said.. "The euro is coming with strict adherence to the criteria and at the planned time."

The Foreign Minister said any delay in the planned start date of January 1st, 1999, would harm the standing abroad of both Germany and the entire European Union.

"Everyone who carries responsibility in Germany must consider their words on the euro particularly carefully because of the serious consequences at home and abroad," he said.

"I get annoyed that sometimes this subject is discussed somewhat carelessly," he told reporters, adding: "I'm not referring to individual people and ask you to report this precisely."

Bavarian state premier Mr Edmund Stoiber has repeatedly called for a delay if enough potential EMU members do not strictly meet the entry criteria laid down in the Maastricht Treaty.

Another state premier, Mr Kurt Biedenkopf, at the weekend repeated his call for a five-year posponement.

The delay debate flared up again after Bundesbank president Dr Hans Tietmeyer said in an interview published last week that he could not agree with the notion that "if the euro is delayed, the sky over Europe wold crash down".

Dr Tietmeyer later insisted his remarks should not be interpreted as a call for a postponement.

Meanwhile Gerrmany's Free Democrats (FDP), Chancellor Dr Helmut Kohl's coalition partners, attacked the Bundesbank president yesterday for remarks which could be seen as calls for a delay in Europe's planned single currency.

FDP leader Mr Wolfgang Gerhardt accused Dr Tietmeyer of making "ambiguous comments" on economic and monetary union (EMU).

The central bank president later insisted his comments should not be interpreted as a plea for a delay in the single currency but Gerhardt said Dr Tietmeyer had made unclear remarks about EMU on several occasions.

"That's gradually getting too much for me," Mr Gerhardt told reporters after a meeting in Bonn of senior officials in his party, the junior partner in Kohl's centreright alliance.