US Treasury Secretary John Snow on Friday said any discussion about whether he stays in his post or leaves was a matter between himself and President George W. Bush. "Let me say first of all, it's been, it is, an honour to serve in this administration, to work with this president, and I'll always be grateful for that opportunity," Snow said when asked on CNBC television whether he was ready to resign or had been asked to do so.
"But any discussion of that nature has to be between the president and myself," he added.
During the past week, speculation has swirled that Snow might soon leave his post, especially after a story on Monday in the Washington Post quoted an unnamed source as saying Snow could stay as long as he wanted provided it was not long.
The Treasury chief side-stepped a question about whether he would like to stay on, saying: "Again, that's a matter for me to discuss with the president."
Snow also said during his appearance on CNBC that the United States continues to back a strong dollar, side-stepping questions on the likelihood of US intervention in currency markets to stop the greenback's slide.
Asked whether the Bush administration was following a policy of "benign neglect" toward the dollar's slumping value, Snow said a strong dollar remained "the rock-solid foundation of our policy."
"But of course, currency values are best set in open currency markets, markets where capital flows freely, markets that allow the largest amount of free trade," he said.
Snow laughed when asked if he felt the United States would need to intervene in currency markets to slow the dollar's slide.
"As you know, that's one of those questions that I would never bring you or your listeners in on either way," he said.
When pressed, Snow said "no country can devalue itself to prosperity and our policy is to sustain the strong dollar, a strong dollar based on the fundamentals of this economy."
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