26/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - Questioned by journalists in Strasbourg over the abstention by the Socialist group during the vote by the Conference of Presidents on the appeal presented as a precaution against the EU Council decision concerning the "Top Secret" classification of ESDP documents, the Group President Enrique Baron, asserted that "we prefer not to leaving to the ruling of judges" the responsibility of resolving the issues that should be resolved at a political level. The appeal will take two year, this will not resolve the problem", he asserted, adding: "an appeal to the Court of Justice, is a gamble, I believe that it is more positive to try and reach an agreement with the Council". Mr Brok and Mr Watson, Presidents of the Foreign Affairs and Public Freedoms Committees proposed to create a form of "Select Committee", indicated Mr Baron, for whom, in this case "it would be necessary to do as with the other Parliaments (see statements by Mr Richard in yesterday's EUROPE pages 5/6).