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European Commission Spokesman's Briefing for 01-04-30
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
MIDDAY EXPRESS
News from the Spokesman's midday briefing
Nouvelles du rendez-vous de midi du Service Presse et Communicationb
Midday Express 30/04/2001
[01] Chris Patten condemns murder of FYROM soldiers, urges continued
dialogue
The European Commissioner for External Relations, Chris Patten, yesterday
issued the following statement on the murder of eight FYROM soldiers on the
border with Kosovo : "I utterly condemn this senseless act of murder, and
extend my sympathy to the families of the soldiers who have been killed. I
urge all political leaders, including in Kosovo, to speak out clearly
against this violence and to outlaw its perpetrators. The EU has repeatedly
made clear its commitment to FYROM's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
We stand by that commitment, and continue to urge the FYROM government to
respond in an appropriate and proportionate way. In recent weeks, political
parties in FYROM had established a framework for addressing legitimate
grievances through cross party dialogue. This attack was clearly designed
to derail that process. It must not be allowed to succeed. I appeal to
political leaders in FYROM to stand firm in the face of this new attack,
and to redouble their commitment to the dialogue they had begun. It is the
only way to defeat the extremists, and the only way to secure the future of
their country in Europe. We stand ready to continue to facilitate such a
dialogue."
[02] Chris Patten announces strong EU support for Colombian peace process
The EU sends a strong signal of political support to President Pastrana's
peace efforts and announces a European aid package of more than euro 330
million at the third meeting of the Support Group of the Peace-Process in
Colombia in Brussels. European Commissioner for External Relations, Chris
Patten, called for peace to become a 'state policy' and called on the ELN
to return to the negotiating table. He announced a Commission contribution
of euro 105 million with projects worth up to euro 43 million ("peace
laboratories", human rights, relieve social impact) to be committed this
year.
[03] Fourth quarter of 2000 - EU15 current account deficit euro 15.0
billion ; euro 3.2 billion deficit on trade in services
(! embargo 12 am ! ) According to Eurostat's latest revisions, the EU15
external current account recorded a deficit of euro 15.0 billion in the
fourth quarter of 2000, as compared with a deficit of euro 1.9 billion in
the fourth quarter of 1999 and a deficit of euro 8.6 billion in the third
quarter of 2000. In the fourth quarter of 2000 the EU15 external balance of
trade in services recorded a deficit of euro 3.2 billion as compared with a
surplus of euro 0.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 1999 and a surplus of
euro 1.9 billion in the third quarter of 2000.
[04] Autre matériel diffusé
Discours de M. Fischler : "The EU enlargement our partnership in
agriculture" à la conférence ministérielle internationale des pays d'Europe
Centrale et Orientale (Vilnius, ! embargo 15h00 !)
EU policy on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) - supporting
international efforts to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula
MIDDAY EXPRESS
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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