Euro Ministers Set to Clash on Terms of Channeling Bank Aid

European finance ministers gathered for the first time this year to begin the long march to enacting policies they promised to subdue the debt crisis, beginning with how to channel firewall funds directly to banks.

At a meeting in Brussels today, where an assessment of Spain, Cyprus and Greece also will feature, euro-area ministers are likely to clash over how and when the 500 billion-euro ($666 billion) European Stability Mechanism can bypass governments and provide direct help to banks.