European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said on Friday countries that had not undertaken far-reaching structural reforms faced weak growth after the financial crisis.

Trichet, speaking at an annual ECB watchers conference, also said the euro zone's economic diversity mirrored closely that of the United States and also repeated the central bank's warning that new EU debt rules did not go far enough.

Those countries that have yet to implement more far reaching structural reforms also have relatively low growth prospects after the crisis.

Results (of analysis) suggest that those who are questioning the viability of the euro area as a single currency area on the grounds of economic heterogeneity are misguided, Trichet added.

For full speech please click; http://www.ecb.int/pre ss/key/date/2011/html/sp110610.en.html

(Reporting by Marc Jones; editing by Patrick Graham)

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