Brussels, 15/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Institutions have congratulated Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary General, on his winning of Nobel Peace Prize. In a letter to Mr Annan, the President of the European Parliament, Nicole Fontaine, wrote that "Your tireless efforts in working for international peace and for a more just world have been given the recognition they so readily deserve". The President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, stressed the role of the UN "at this time of conflict and tension", saying that Mr Annan "is a strong and skilful negotiator" and a "true friend of Europe". In a statement, the EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, congratulated "an organisation that has been a powerful force for good in the world for more than half a century" and "a man who has brought new energy and vision to that organisation". "The European Union looks naturally and instinctively to the United Nations" to help defend the values on which the UN is based, added Mr Solana.