"Central bankers are not supposed to have emotions or dreams. Forgive me if I make an exception today for this is a moment in which the flow of history is present" - at the unveiling of the euro notes, 31 August 31 2001

"It's not our policy to surprise markets, but sometimes it's unavoidable," 10 May 2001

He said neither he nor the bank would be swayed by pleas for lower rates to head off an economic slowdown in Europe. "You might say, I hear but I don't listen," 11 April 2001

"At present there are no convincing signs that the slowdown in the US economy is having significant and lasting spill-over effects on the euro area economy as a whole," 6 March 2001

The euro is"seriously undervalued and misaligned". He added: "There will come a moment when that is corrected" - 19 October 2000

Asked whether it would make sense for central banks to intervene if war in the Middle East triggered sharp movements in exchange rates, he replied: "I wouldn't think so." 15 October 2000

Asked about the deal to name a Frenchman as his successor, he said: "I deplore the fact that the nationalilty question has come to the fore," 7 May 1998

"We had to shadow big brother. Now we will not shadow but we co-decide. So we got our voice back," talking about life for the Netherlands before monetary union - 7 May 1988