11/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - the President of the EPP-ED group in the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, welcomed the consensus reached by EU Ministers for Foreign Affairs at Genval last weekend, on the subject of a Convention for preparing the next IGC (see yesterday's edition of EUROPE pp 6-7). Mr Pöttering, who wanted the future Convention to be chaired by a European figure who is above the rivalries of political parties and national borders, reiterated his request for the next Intergovernmental Conference to conclude its work by 2003, under the Italian Presidency.