SANTIAGO de CHILE - The world\'s top banking regulator said in late March he\'d like to see a dialogue going ahead between Latin American banks and their supervisors on implementing the Basel II upgrade of international rules for bank safety.

LONDON - The priorities and work programme of the potentially highly influential new Committee of European Banking Supervisors (CEBS) became apparent at the end of March, following its meeting at the Guildhall in the City, London\'s financial district.

LONDON - International accounting rule makers declined direct comment in early April on news that Europe\'s top financial regulator is confident the European Union can resolve the row over certain new accounting standards for banks and insurers ahead of planned adoption in January 2005.

SAN DIEGO - US regulators are pledged to take whatever steps are necessary to retain a level playing field if there are signs of a competitive problem for smaller US banks from the Basel II capital rules, US Federal Reserve Board chairman Alan Greenspan said in mid-March

Working Group will study responses at three-week session. Basel Committee expects to review findings at March meeting. By David Keefe

SOMERS, New York - IBM has launched a new service combining software, hardware and consulting services that it says can help banks manage information in a way that is more consistent with obligations under the Basel II capital accord.

NEW YORK - Standard & Poor\'s Risk Solutions introduced its LossStats Model, a tool for estimating loss given default (LGD) in credit risk, with the launch of a US version of the model in April.

KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia will implement the Basel II upgrade of bank safety rules in two phases with the first phase beginning in January 2008, Malaysian central bank governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz said in April.

WASHINGTON - There\'s little room for \"substantive compromise\" over the treatment of certain retail credit products, in particular unused credit card lines, in the Basel II upgrade of international bank safety rules, US Comptroller of the Currency John Hawke said in early April.

Troubled reinsurance sector caught in Europe\'s regulatory net for first time. Last minute wrangling over key aspects of directive By Melvyn Westlake