They argue nations involved in the economic discussions this weekend must make a coordinated effort at bank recapitalization as well as a shared commitment to solving cross-border financial issues, such as dealing with non-U.S. banks that hold a significant amount of American paper.

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By focusing on general issues rather than cross-border ones, the two companies underestimated a factor that would define, and could even scupper, the entire deal.

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That idea made so much sense that the two companies had reached agreement on most of the issues usually impeding cross-border mergers, such as legal structure, governance arrangements, business strategy and dividend policy.

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In her debut speech to the European Parliament since her country took on the rotating presidency of the Council of Ministers, Hungarian State Secretary for European Affairs Eniko Gyori said the agreement could help tackle illegal cross-border trade and improve co-operation on environmental issues.

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They will regard issues such as the conundrum of cross-border politics as mere sophistry, compared with those perceived certainties.

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And it will not just be over the big, predictable issues such as the decommissioning of paramilitaries' weapons or the powers of the cross-border bodies in which the assembly's leaders will sit alongside ministers from the Irish Republic.

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