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Fabrizio Pagani said on the sidelines of a conference it was to be hoped that Italy's banks became involved in a process of consolidation.
But he said he was not aware of any ongoing merger talks involving Monte dei Paschi which last year was rescued by the state.
When asked who the Tuscan bank could tie up with, Pagani said "it's too early to say".
Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan told La Stampa newspaper on Saturday Monte dei Paschi was on the right track but that there were no plans to merge it with a rival.