01/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - During his meeting with the president of the European Central Bank (ECB), Jean-Claude Trichet, in Dublin on Monday, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern discussed the prospects of the Intergovernmental Conference on the European Constitution (see other article) and the economic situation in the euro zone. According to a press release, the Irish Prime Minister and the ECB President expressed their confidence in the "gradual and modest recovery of the euro-zone growth". Mr Ahern stressed that "sustained recovery in growth is vital to Europe and budgetary discipline is of course part of the recovery". According to the press release, Messrs Ahern and Trichet also insisted on the need to ensure that world oil prices return to more normal levels as soon as possible.