Brussels, 14/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - Marie-Georges Buffet, French Minister for Youth and Sport and Council President, hopes to find a "positive solution" to the issue of the European Union's participation in the World Anti-Doping Agency, during the meeting of Sports Ministers on 6 November in Paris. This issue has been at the centre of the meetings I have had with Mr Chris Smith, British Culture Minister, responsible for Sports. He asserted the Great Britain would not oppose a consensus position as to the legal basis of this European participation", stated Mrs Buffet, during a recent press conference.
During the informal meeting of EU Sports Ministers, last May in Lisbon, the United Kingdom was the only State to oppose a Community participation in the Anti-Doping Agency, due to the absence of an adequate legal basis (see EUROPE of 11 May, p.7). According to the European Commission. Which has in its draws a draft on this issue, such a participation would give greater weight to Europe in the world fight against doping. "We have given ourselves until the European Forum on Sport, which we will organise in Lille next 26 and 27 October, to resolve this issue with the British, indicated Mrs Buffet.