Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Siemens AG Chief Executive Officer Heinrich von Pierer said U.S. officials should take into account the potential effect of a further appreciation of the euro against the dollar on the global economy.

Von Pierer, who heads Germany's biggest electronics and engineering company, said an exchange rate ``above $1.25 or $1.30'' risks hurting economic growth in Europe. The currency bought $1.2565 at 9:37 a.m. in Frankfurt and on Jan. 12 climbed as high as $1.2899.

``I see a risk if the dollar develops further in the wrong direction,'' said von Pierer, in a televised interview with Bloomberg News in Davos, Switzerland. ``It won't go so well for the European economy and, as a consequence, for the global situation. The Americans must see that.''

The euro's 15 percent increase against the dollar since the start of September is clouding prospects for an export-led recovery across the dozen nations using the currency, prompting European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet to express concern about ``brutal moves'' in currencies.

French Finance Minister Francis Mer and German Economics and Labor Minister Wolfgang Clement on Saturday urged the U.S. and Japan to help curb the euro's appreciation at the next meeting of Group of Seven finance officials in Boca Raton, Florida on Feb. 6 and 7.

The U.S. is showing few signs it plans to heed those calls. U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow repeated in a radio interview with Bloomberg News on Friday that the government supports a ``strong dollar.''

Munich-based Siemens is ``coping'' with the stronger euro because it has employs about 70,000 people in the world's largest economy, according to von Pierer.

Last Updated: January 26, 2004 03:40 EST