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EU News Flashes and Events for 96-05-14
From: News Distribution Manager <dist@hri.org>
CONTENTS
[01] GAC backs Russian action plan
[02] GAC urges Swiss negotiations
[03] GAC welcomes plan for Albania
[04] EU-Niger aid still suspended
[05] Liberian refugees emergency aid
[06] Britain sees support on beef
[07] Lebanon seeks EU aid to rebuild
[08] EU-Mexico trade pact plan
[09] S.Africa trade deal by year-end
[10] 5 to 7 nations in 1999 EMU launch
[11] Buba backs European integration
[12] EU to boost tourism industry
[13] EU examines VW use of subsidies
[14] Comments on Sandoz/Ciba merger
[15] Croatia membership may be delayed
[16] Holbrooke's comments on Bosnia
[17] Main EU events for May 14
[01] GAC backs Russian action plan
BRUSSELS - European Union foreign ministers, anxiously hoping for the re-
election of Russian President Boris Yeltin next month, approved a plan on
Monday to help keep Moscow on track for economic and political reform.
[02] GAC urges Swiss negotiations
BRUSSELS - The General Affairs Council urged Switzerland on Monday to complete
negotiations in areas ranging from research to free movement of people as a
way of developing links between the EU and the country it surrounds.
[03] GAC welcomes plan for Albania
BRUSSELS - European Union foreign ministers on Monday welcomed the European
Commission's plans for an agreement with Albania that stops short of offering
EU membership.
[04] EU-Niger aid still suspended
BRUSSELS - The European Union postponed the immediate resumption of aid to
Niger on Monday, saying conditions had still not been met for normalising
relations.
[05] Liberian refugees emergency aid
BRUSSELS - The European Union on Monday urged countries neighbouring Liberia
to give at least temporary shelter to Liberian refugees fleeing the wartorn
country on boats. The European Commission also said it was ready to provide
emergency aid to Liberian war refugees.
[06] Britain sees support on beef
BRUSSELS - British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind said on Monday that
several of Britain's EU partners supported a partial easing of a worldwide ban
on its beef exports.
[07] Lebanon seeks EU aid to rebuild
BRUSSELS - Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri urged the European Union on
Monday to help rebuild his shattered country, saying Beirut needed $1 billion
a year from the international community for the task.
[08] EU-Mexico trade pact plan
BRUSSELS - The European Union approved a plan for negotiating a trade pact
with Mexico on Monday but stopped short of calling for a full free trade
agreement.
[09] S.Africa trade deal by year-end
JOHANNESBURG - European Commission President Jacques Santer said on Monday the
European Union was keen to discuss the "urgent need" for South Africa to get
improved access to European markets.
[10] 5 to 7 nations in 1999 EMU launch
FRANKFURT - European Monetary Institute President Alexandre Lamfalussy said he
sees five to seven European nations qualifying for the launch of the common
currency in 1999.
[11] Buba backs European integration
FRANKFURT - Bundesbank President Hans Tietmeyer said on Monday that the German
central bank backed further European integration but would insist that it be
done properly.
[12] EU to boost tourism industry
BRUSSELS - European Union ministers held "fruitful" discussions on tourism
policy on Monday, generally agreeing on the need to strengthen the sector as
part of efforts to create new jobs in the 15-nation bloc.
[13] EU examines VW use of subsidies
BRUSSELS - The European Commission declined to comment on Monday on A German
press report that Volkswagen will have to repay 300 million deutschemarks in
subsidies the Commission approved for investment in car and engine plants in
former East Germany but EU sources said the way the subsidy had been used was
being closely examined.
[14] Comments on Sandoz/Ciba merger
BRUSSELS - The European Commission invited interested parties on Monday to
comment on the merger of the Swiss pharmaceutical giants Sandoz AG and Ciba-
Geigy AG on which it recently started a detailed probe under EU competition
rules.
[15] Croatia membership may be delayed
STRASBOURG, France - The Council of Europe may this week delay Croatia's
accession out of concern over recent decisions on civil liberties by President
Franjo Tudjman, a source close to the secretary-general said on Monday.
[16] Holbrooke's comments on Bosnia
BRUSSELS - Italy's foreign minister Susanna Agnelli accused former U.S. envoy
Richard Holbrooke on Monday of "lacking generosity" in comments over Europe's
role in Bosnia.
[17] Main EU events for May 14
BRUSSELS - EU foreign ministers meeting resumes at 0800 GMT (second of two
days); meet counterparts from Cyprus and Malta.
BRUSSELS - EU health ministers meeting begins at 0800 GMT, discuss health
monitoring, tobacco advertising.
SOUTH AFRICA - G7 leading industrial nations and developing countries hold
ministerial conference on "Information Society and Development" (ISAD) (second
of three days); Commission President Jacques Santer meets President Nelson
Mandela.
BRUSSELS - Sixth meeting of EU foreign ministers' representatives to discuss
IGC's third chapter on external actions (second of two days); Italian
Representative and President of the Group Silvio Fagiolo holds news conference
on the outcome of meeting at 1500 GMT.
GENEVA - World Health Organisation (WHO) group of international experts
meets to discuss global surveillance of the new form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease, suspected to be linked to mad cow disease (first of three days).
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://www.cec.lu/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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