Brussels, 22/05/2000 (Agence Europe) - The General Affairs Council held a debate on the financial perspectives in the light of ideas put forward by the European Commission in the field of external aid. This debate was qualified as "very important" by the Council's Chairman, Portuguese Minister Jaime Gama. At a press conference, Commissioner Chris Patten said that he had introduced the subject over twenty minutes, the debate having continued informally for an hour-an-a-half over lunch. The...