Brussels, 30/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel told the BELGA press agency that concrete decisions in view of strengthening coopration between the countries of the Benelux in the forthcoming Belgian Presidency of the EU Council had been taken in Brussels on Monday, on the occasion of a luncheon with his Dutch and Luxembourg counterparts, Jozias Van Aartsen and Lydie Polfer. In particular, Mr. Michel stated, in the second half of the year, the team of the Belgian Presidency would be joined by "high-level" diplomats from the Netherlands and Luxembourg. In addition, he said, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg would try to reach common positions on the main issues, and notably Europe's future (on which a declaration is expected at the European Council of Laeken) and on the pursuit of the EU's enlargement process.