HELSINKI (Reuters) - A merger between Sweden's Nordea (>> Nordea Bank AB) and Dutch state-owned lender ABN Amro (>> ABN AMRO Group) would make "a pretty fine bank," and early talks may continue after a March 2017 election in the Netherlands, Nordea chairman Bjorn Wahlroos said on Saturday.
In an interview with Finnish public broadcaster YLE, Wahlroos confirmed he had recently discussed a possible merger with representatives from the Dutch finance ministry and the Netherlands Financial Investments (NLFI), the state agency that holds a majority of ABN shares.
"It was a very preliminary contact ... at the moment it looks like (talks) will not go forward until the Dutch parliamentary election," Wahlroos said, referring to a March 2017 general election.
"I believe it is quite clear that due to the elections, there is not much enthusiasm right now for a larger project in the government level," he added.
Following local media reports on Nordea's approach earlier this month, ABN and the Dutch government said they were not looking for a buyer.
Wahlroos, who is also chairman at financial holding company Sampo
He added that ABN would "fit together well" with Nordea, the Nordic region's largest bank.
"The Netherlands is a very Scandinavian-type of country in many ways, open, liberal, market-oriented... (the combined bank) would be a pretty fine bank."
Wahlroos said he had also suggested to the Dutch that the combined company's headquarters could move from Sweden to the Netherlands.
(Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl; Editing by Helen Popper)