Bank of New England Corp. said it has held talks with potential merger partners outside New England, although it added that nothing is imminent and it hasn't received any formal offers. The discussions were disclosed as the bank holding company said that it has dropped its longstanding opposition to full interstate banking bills in Connecticut and in Massachusetts. Later yesterday, a Massachusetts senate committee approved a bill to allow national interstate banking by banks in the state beginning in 1991. Currently, both Massachusetts and Connecticut, where most of Bank of New England's operations are, allow interstate banking only within New England. Richard Driscoll, vice chairman of Bank of New England, told the Dow Jones Professional Investor Report, `` Certainly, there are those outside the region who think of us prospectively as a good partner. We have, and I 'm sure others have, considered what our options are, and we've had conversations with people who in the future might prove to be interesting partners. '' He added, `` There's nothing very hot. '' Mr. Driscoll didn't elaborate about who the potential partners were or when the talks were held. A bank spokeswoman also declined to comment on any merger-related matters, but said the company decided to drop its opposition to the interstate banking legislation because `` prevailing sentiment is in favor of passage. '' Bank of New England has been hit hard by the region's real-estate slump, with its net income declining 42 % to $121.6 million, or 61 cents a share, in the first nine months of 1989 from the year-earlier period. The company recently said it would sell some operations and lay off 4 % of its work force, altogether reducing employment to less than 16,000 from about 18,000. It recently signed a preliminary agreement to negotiate exclusively with the Bank of Tokyo Ltd. for the sale of part of its leasing business to the Japanese bank. TEXT Bank of New England Corp. said it has held talks with potential merger partners outside New England , although it added that nothing is imminent and it has n't received any formal offers . The discussions were disclosed as the bank holding company said that it has dropped its longstanding opposition to full interstate banking bills in Connecticut and in Massachusetts . Later yesterday , a Massachusetts senate committee approved a bill to allow national interstate banking by banks in the state beginning in 1991 . Currently , both Massachusetts and Connecticut , where most of Bank of New England 's operations are , allow interstate banking only within New England . Richard Driscoll , vice chairman of Bank of New England , told the Dow Jones Professional Investor Report , `` Certainly , there are those outside the region who think of us prospectively as a good partner . We have , and I 'm sure others have , considered what our options are , and we 've had conversations with people who in the future might prove to be interesting partners . '' He added , `` There 's nothing very hot . '' Mr. Driscoll did n't elaborate about who the potential partners were or when the talks were held . A bank spokeswoman also declined to comment on any merger-related matters , but said the company decided to drop its opposition to the interstate banking legislation because `` prevailing sentiment is in favor of passage . '' Bank of New England has been hit hard by the region 's real-estate slump , with its net income declining 42 % to $ 121.6 million , or 61 cents a share , in the first nine months of 1989 from the year-earlier period . The company recently said it would sell some operations and lay off 4 % of its work force , altogether reducing employment to less than 16,000 from about 18,000 . It recently signed a preliminary agreement to negotiate exclusively with the Bank of Tokyo Ltd. for the sale of part of its leasing business to the Japanese bank . 2~4~6~8~10 14 20 24~26~28 32~34 40 46 54 62~64~66 71~73 81~83~85~87 93 99 99~101~103~105~107~109~111~113 107~109~111~113 117 123 130 134~136~138~140 144~146 152~154~156 160 164~166 172 181~183~185~187 183 187 191 193~195~197~199~201~203~205~207 197~199~201~203 215~217 223~225 230~232~234~236~238~240~242~244~246~248 242~244~246~248 254~256~258~260~262~264 282~284 292 298~300~302 307 315 321 331 331~333 341 347 351 357~359 369~371 378 401~403 415~417~419 427~429 438~440~442 454~456~458 466~468 476 476~478 482~484~486~488 494~496 506 513~515~517~519 531~533~535~537~539 533 545 545~547~549 553~555 559~561~563 569~571~573~575 581~583~585~587~589~591 591 595~597~599 604~606 612 618~620 628~630~632~634~636~638 634 634~636~638 646 650~652~654 658~660 665 671~673~675 685~687~689~691~693 697~699~701~703~705~707~709~711 703~705~707~709~711 707 707~709~711 715~717~719 Bank of New England Corp.|1243,1244,1248,1250,1253,1254,1255,1272,1276,1279,1281,1284,1286,1297,1298,1303,1314,1315,1318,1323,1328 talks|1245,1252,1287,1294 potential merger partners|1246 New England|1247,1278,1305,1306 nothing|1249 any formal offers|1251 its longstanding opposition to full interstate banking bills|1256 full interstate banking bills|1257,1300 Connecticut|1258,1269 Massachusetts|1259,1265,1268 yesterday|1260 a Massachusetts senate committee|1261 a bill|1262 national interstate banking|1263 banks|1264 1991|1266 both Massachusetts and Connecticut|1267,1270 most of Bank of New England's operations|1271 interstate banking|1273 New England|1274 Richard Driscoll|1275,1282,1291,1292 the Dow Jones Professional Investor Report|1277 a good partner|1280 others|1283 our options|1285 people|1288,1293 the future|1289 interesting partners|1290 A bank spokeswoman|1295 any merger-related matters|1296 its opposition|1299 prevailing sentiment|1301 passage|1302 the region's real-estate slump|1304 its net income|1307 42 %|1308 $121.6 million|1309 61 cents a share|1310 the first nine months of 1989|1311 1989|1312 the year-earlier period|1313 some operations|1316 4 % of its work force|1317 its work force|1319 employment|1320 less than 16,000|1321 about 18,000|1322 a preliminary agreement|1324 the Bank of Tokyo Ltd.|1325 the sale of part of its leasing business|1326 part of its leasing business|1327 its leasing business|1329 the Japanese bank|1330 1243|NUC:DIST:2~4~6~8~10 1244|NUC:DIST:14 1245|NUC:DIST:20 1246|MOD:DIST:24|MOD:DIST:26|NUC:DIST:28 1247|NUC:DIST:32~34 1248|NUC:DIST:40 1249|NUC:DIST:46 1250|NUC:DIST:54 1251|MOD:DIST:62|MOD:DIST:64|NUC:DIST:66 1252|MOD:DIST:71|NUC:DIST:73 1253|MOD:DIST:81|MOD:DESC:83~85|NUC:DIST:87 1254|NUC:DIST:93 1255|NUC:DIST:99 1256|MOD:DIST:99|MOD:DESC:101|NUC:DIST:103|MOD:DIST:105~107~109~111~113 1257|MOD:DIST:107|MOD:DIST:109|MOD:DIST:111|NUC:DIST:113 1258|NUC:DIST:117 1259|NUC:DIST:123 1260|NUC:DIST:130 1261|MOD:DIST:134|MOD:DIST:136|MOD:DIST:138|NUC:DIST:140 1262|MOD:DIST:144|NUC:DIST:146 1263|MOD:DIST:152|MOD:DIST:154|NUC:DIST:156 1264|NUC:DIST:160 1265|MOD:DIST:164|NUC:DIST:166 1266|NUC:DIST:172 1267|MOD:DESC:181|NUC:DIST:183~185~187 1268|NUC:DIST:183 1269|NUC:DIST:187 1270|NUC:DIST:191 1271|MOD:DIST:193~195|MOD:DIST:197~199~201~203~205|NUC:DIST:207 1272|NUC:DIST:197~199~201~203 1273|MOD:DIST:215|NUC:DIST:217 1274|NUC:DIST:223~225 1275|NUC:DIST:230~232|MOD:DESC:236~238~240~242~244~246~248 1276|NUC:DIST:242~244~246~248 1277|MOD:DIST:254|NUC:DIST:256~258~260~262~264 1278|MOD:DIST:282|NUC:DIST:284 1279|NUC:DIST:292 1280|MOD:DIST:298|MOD:DIST:300|NUC:DIST:302 1281|NUC:DIST:307 1282|NUC:DIST:315 1283|NUC:DIST:321 1284|NUC:DIST:331 1285|MOD:DIST:331|NUC:DIST:333 1286|NUC:DIST:341 1287|NUC:DESC:347 1288|NUC:DIST:351 1289|MOD:DIST:357|NUC:DIST:359 1290|MOD:DESC:369|NUC:DIST:371 1291|NUC:DIST:378 1292|MOD:DIST:401|NUC:DIST:403 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