Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-05-03
CONTENTS
[01] Informal EU Council of Foreign Ministers examines Middle East and Iraq
[01] Informal EU Council of Foreign Ministers examines Middle East and Iraq
02/05/2003 23:32:32
The European Union's informal two-day Council of Foreign Ministers got
underway on the island of Rhodes on Friday, focusing primarily on the
Middle East issue and the reconstruction of Iraq.
In a press conference jointly addressed by Foreign Minister and Council
of Foreign Ministers President George Papandreou, European Union High
Commissioner for Common Foreign and Defence Policy Javier Solana and
Foreign Policy Commissioner Chris Patten, the first meeting between the
25 foreign ministers was hailed and the Council's informal nature was
stressed that does not allow for official decisions.
On the question of Iraq's reconstruction process, Papandreou spoke of
two common positions in the EU's ranks concerning the next steps to be
taken and the need for the UN to issue a mandate on the legalisation of
the transitional status in Baghdad.
''We gave Mr. Patten the green light to prepare the humanitarian aid
issues and the role of the European Union in the effort for the
reconstruction of Iraq,'' Papandreou said.
The foreign minister added that on the part of the ''25'' there is the
intention of their charge d'affaires' returning to Baghdad, while
Solana has undertaken the processing and preparation of proposals on
shaping European strategy in the region to enable them to be presented
at the European summit in Thessaloniki.
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