In a joint declaration issued in Athens on 17 April after the previous day's signing of the Treaty of Accession with 10 future EU members, representatives of 41 European states vow to bridge economic and political div

In a joint declaration issued in Athens on 17 April after the previous day's signing of the Treaty of Accession with 10 future EU members, representatives of 41 European states vow to bridge economic and political divisions. The leaders agree to promote trade and investment, open up markets, fight organized crime and terrorism, build up energy and transport networks, and respect human rights and the rule of law. European Commission President Romano Prodi told journalists, "Europe has not enlarged in a spirit of egoism and exclusion," adding that the EU "is enlarging by offering its neighbors closer ties of neighborhood." Prodi said the EU wants to offer its nonmember neighbors all the benefits of membership short of voting rights and full participation in the EU's supranational institutions. "It won't be just a commercial or economic relationship; it will be close links -- including on political matters, on administrative matters, justice, internal affairs," he said. In a symbolic gesture, Russia invited the leaders of both current and future EU members to next month's celebrations of St. Petersburg's 300th anniversary.