HAMBURG, July 10: Germany's Daimler Benz car-maker will this year create new jobs and offer more training places in Germany, the daily mass-circulation Bild newspaper said on Thursday.

Daimler's chief executive Juergen Schrempp told thenewspaper: "We want to create around 3000 jobs in 1997 and open up around 10 per cent more training places."

Schrempp also said the reduction of Daimler's activities abroad would add jobs in Germany, with key parts for some car models built in the US being made and exported from Germany.

Turning to European economic and monetary union (Emu), Schrempp told the newspaper: "a delay (to the project) would be extremely painful because the mark would come under upward pressure."The deutschemark has depreciated sharply against the dollar in recent months, helping to boost Germany's export sector.

Shrempp said the so-called stability pact, signed by European union leaders in Amsterdam, and the issue of political union in Europe were more important than strict adherence to the Masstricht criteria for the entry to the single currency.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.