Posted on 11/04/2004 6:12:54 PM PST by NormsRevenge
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - European Union leaders on Thursday considered taking on a bigger role in rebuilding Iraq and forging stronger ties with re-elected President Bush.
At the opening of a two-day summit, incoming European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he put together a new executive team, signaling the prospect of an early end to problems surrounding his original lineup.
In a key change, Barroso said Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini would be the next justice commissioner, instead of conservative Italian Rocco Buttiglione, who upset many European Parliament members with anti-gay comments in confirmation hearings in October.
The EU leaders met after Bush won a second term and considered ways to get Washington to work more closely with Europe in finding a solution in Iraq.
"The world has many problems, problems that without any doubt can be solved better if the cooperation between the Europeans and the Americans is as close as possible," said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
"I'm sure we will have some frictions during the four years, but I'm sure also we will be able to overcome those frictions with goodwill."
Dutch Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende, the summit host, agreed.
"I heard the comments of many heads of government that they underlined the importance of good trans-Atlantic ties," he said.
EU leaders were looking at proposals to deepen the 25-nation bloc's role in Iraq's reconstruction, but stopping short of committing troops, which France and Germany vehemently oppose.
Iraq's interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi is scheduled to join the EU leaders for lunch at the summit on Friday.
EU leaders are expected to offer him a trade deal as part of efforts to help rebuild the country. The EU has already committed $371 million in humanitarian and reconstruction aid for Iraq this year.
However, French President Jacques Chirac - who led European opposition to the U.S.-led war in Iraq - will miss the lunch with Allawi. French diplomats said Chirac would leave the summit Friday morning to attend a memorial service in the United Arab Emirates for Sheik Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE president who died Tuesday.
Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot signaled the EU might be prepared to go further to help Iraq by bolstering the country's law enforcement system and supporting efforts to hold elections in January.
Separately, EU leaders on Thursday were expected to give strong backing to a European negotiating team seeking to persuade Iran to limit its nuclear program to peaceful purposes.
EU officials said negotiations were expected to resume Friday in Paris between the Iranians and a delegation of officials from France, Britain, Germany and the EU's foreign policy department.
They said the leaders would approve a statement on the talks Thursday or Friday, stressing the importance of the negotiations.
The Europeans have offered Iran a trade deal and peaceful nuclear technology in return for assurances Iran would indefinitely stop enriching uranium.
"Tomorrow we will get an answer from the Iranian government," said Foreign Minister Bot. He said the Europeans were offering "a bunch of carrots" in exchange for Iran sticking to a suspension of uranium enrichment activities.
"The biggest carrot is the resumption of the trade agreement," Bot told a news conference after chairing a meeting of EU foreign ministers on the sidelines of the summit.
Well, well, well. I guess we see who feels the pressure to accommodate whom now that BUsh is re-elected.
I wouldn't hold my breath. They will probably wait till it looks safe to go in, and they'll claim to have been standing right beside us the whole time. Cowards, looking to reap the benefits of the sacrifice of our best and brightest.
The biggest carrot is the resumption of the trade agreement
Socialist pigs
"Weelllll, Jacques Chirac, you look like somebody just walked over your grave," said, Doc Holiday.
I don't trust the EU; they apparently now have an Iranian motive working against America and Israel...
3 hours a day and Chirac, the surrender monkey and Schroeder the... (dam writer's block, I hate that)...
If they want the pay...they have to play. Someday, Iraq is going to be the number one economic force in the region. And instead of getting their piece of it via a Kerry appeasing way...they will now have to work for it.
My eyes, oh my eyes, please make it stop!!
We'll get the Iraqis through January with the coalition we have in place, thanks. After that they are free to deal with the EU or not, as they choose. But they're not stupid people and they have long, long memories, especially for who was getting the goodies under "Oil for Food" while they were hurting.
Sorry.
I think Bush will be making some un-costomary phone calls to these people, such as "It's time for you all to straighten up!"
"Consider" anything you want... but you'll only GET what we GIVE you!!!
We should demand that Rocco Buttiglione be reinstated, then they can speak to Iraq and us about HELPING in Iraq. I don't trust them either. Jacko not meeting with the Iraqi President, the French are twisted and not honorable or trustworthy. Remember Oil for food. Jacko is probably making his own deals while he is at the funeral for the Sheik or is it Shake?
LOL. Euroweasel 'strength.'
Gee, i wonder where all those "intellectuals" who have Eurowennie inclinations are hiding today. The practical man knows that crow is best eaten when it is warm.
These EU so-called leaders aren't into much leading - seems they were waiting to be lead by the nose by the American voter!!
The EU weenies have no other choice. Their hopes were destroyed when their sKerry failed to win the US race for president.
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