Strasbourg, 18/02/2000 (Agence Europe) - Austrian President Thomas Klestil will make a speech before the European Parliament at its April plenary session, on Wednesday 12 April in Strasbourg (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.3, for the official visit that President Klestil will make on 8 March to the European Commission).
A press release stipulates that, in Strasbourg on Thursday, the Conference of Presidents (the President of the EP Nicole Fontaine and the presidents of the political groups) examined "a request by the Austrian President Thomas Klestil to come and speak before the European Parliament on 12 April", and that the Conference of Presidents had "decided to approve this request". The press release stipulates that, at the end of his speech in plenary, President Klestil "will debate with the presidents of the political groups within the Conference of Presidents".
EUROPE has reason to believe that, during Thursday afternoon's discussions within the Conference of Presidents, the Green and United Left groups voted against President Klestil's making a speech in plenary. As for the exchange of views envisaged with the Conference of Presidents, the President still has to agree to this initiative.