09/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Commissioner Pedro Solbes did not rule out a shrinking of the EU's GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in the third quarter of 2001, but expected the fourth quarter of 2001 to be "a bit better" than the third (admitting that the current period was one of the most uncertain in the past three decades). The President of the ECOFIN Council, Didier Reynders, said it was certain that there was likely to be higher growth in 2002 than in 2001. He said that in the short-term, the US military strikes would not destabilise the financial markets or the economy too much, but that an extended military engagement might affect confidence. Mr Reynders confirmed that he had asked the Commission to examine the insurance problems that airport authorities had had to face since the attacks in the United States. The Commission is, however, expected to point out in its Communication on Wednesday (see separate news item) that it can see no reason why insurance companies should withdraw cover from operators like airports or in-flight service suppliers.