Brussels, 09/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - Most MEPs on the European Parliament foreign affairs (AFET) committee want the European Council of 25-26 March to give the go-ahead to the opening of accession negotiations with Iceland, regardless of the “bilateral problem” between two member states, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and Iceland over compensation for losses suffered with the collapse of the Icesave bank. The Bill on reimbursing almost €4 billion was overwhelmingly rejected by Icelanders in a referendum on 6 March (see EUROPE 10093). MEPs share the opinion of Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle, who was invited to the AFET meeting in Strasbourg on Monday evening, that the Icesave affair should not interfere with the accession process. “The ball is now in the court of the Council which could open negotiations before the end of this month,” said rapporteur on Iceland Cristian Dan Preda (EPP, Romania) and Pat “the Cope” Gallagher (ALDE, Ireland), head of the delegation for relations with the counties of the European Economic Area (EEA). Elmar Brok (EPP), however, is concerned that at the present moment “only 33% of Icelanders support accession” and he wonders if the EU “can negotiate (accession) with a population who is likely to say no in the end” in the referendum that will be organised in Iceland. (H.B./transl.rt)