Strasbourg, 06/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - Commissioner Chris Patten defended his proposals on reforming the management of the EU's external aid before the European Parliament's Development Committee, chaired by the Portuguese Communist Joaquim Miranda. He reiterated that the Commission could not continue to manage external aid as it had done hitherto as it would take it at least four year, and in some cases (he cited the MEDA programme) up to eight, to liquidate the 21 billion euro in arrears...