EU executive approves tri-state aid for Dexia

BRUSSELS, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Thursday it had approved a state-backed guarantee for Dexia (DEXI.BR)(DEXI.PA) from Belgium, Luxembourg and France to ensure the survival of the bank and reassure investors.

"The solution found for Dexia shows that cross-border cooperation is possible and can be approved quickly once we have all the relevant information," European Union Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said in a statement.

On Oct. 9 Belgium, France and Luxembourg agreed on a joint guarantee mechanism -- covered 60.5 percent by Belgium, 36.5 percent by France and 3 percent by Luxembourg -- to facilitate access to financing for Dexia, hit hard by the financial crisis. (Reporting by Huw Jones, editing by Dale Hudson)