The Irish Presidency of the European Union starts its most challenging month on Monday as foreign ministers meet to thrash out the text of a constitution for the bloc, ahead of a summit of EU leaders on June 17
Published:
17 May 2004 y., Monday
Irish Premier Bertie Ahern has been touring EU capitals since early May to try to reach consensus on outstanding wrangles in the charter, seen as vital for the smooth running of the bloc which expanded on May 1 to 25 members from 15.
His trips appear to be paying off, with Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain - with Poland one of two countries blamed for the collapse of talks on the charter last December - saying on Friday the bloc was close to agreement.
"We are close to what may be an understanding and global consensus in the whole Union," he said after meeting Ahern in Madrid.
The charter, drafted by a 105-member convention of lawmakers from across the bloc, failed to gain acceptance last year mainly because of disagreement over how voting powers should be divided between member states.
Šaltinis:
scandinavianews.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
President Adamkus underlines he is especially glad that the common goal of removing barriers to people-to-people contacts has been implemented.
more »
On 15 January, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas appointed Šarūnas Adomavičius the Foreign Vice-Minister and Evaldas Ignatavičius the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus received Canada’s Defence Minister Peter Gordon MacKey who visits Lithuania to attend the almost-traditional winter meeting of foreign policy leaders and strategists.
more »
Today the visiting Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius met with Polish President Lech Kaczynski and discussed the Ukraine-Russia gas crisis and bilateral energy issues.
more »
President Valdas Adamkus had a telephone conversation with President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine and President Lech Kaczyński of Poland.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus said goodbye to the outgoing Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia Mr. Svjetlan Berković.
more »
President Valdas Adamkus received world famous violinist Gidon Kremer, chairperson of the jury at the International Jascha Heifetz Competition, other members of the jury, and competition finalists.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus received the U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania John A. Cloud who passed a letter from the U.S. President George W. Bush.
more »
During his first bilateral visit in Warsaw Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and discussed all strategic partnership issues.
more »
Today President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus participated in the events dedicated to the commemoration of the Defenders of Freedom Day.
more »