Brussels, 19/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Lebanon has called for a postponement of the ceremony for signing the Association Agreement it has negotiated with the European Union, indicate official sources on both sides. The reason given by Lebanon is that the prime minister, currently visiting Washington, wants the Agreement to be examined once more before it is formally signed but no indication has been given of areas that need reexamining. The Association Agreement was held up for a long time for political reasons, particularly the question of "reentry" of illegal residents deported from Europe. Most countries refuse to agree to such a clause for any other than their own nationals. The problem for both the Lebanon and Jordan is what to do with Palestinian refugees who are deported. Lebanese sources note that the postponement to a future date (that Lebanon wants to be as soon as possible) has nothing to do with the political stakes surrounding the 22/23 EuroMed ministerial conference in Valencia but nonetheless, it is still possible that the Lebanese and Syrian ministers will not attend the conference. Both countries have officially requested that the EU suspend Israel from the Barcelona process activities but the Commission has refused to do so and wants to explain its position in meetings on the fringes of the Valencia Summit. The Commission hopes, for example, that an ad hoc EU-Israel Association Council meeting can soon be held. On Friday, Chris Patten's spokesperson said that this depended on the fifteen Member States but the Commission was keeping its request on the table. The spokesperson confirmed that Chris Patten was also maintaining his request for an independent investigation to be launched into what happened in Jenin (the Palestinians and international humanitarian organisations talk of massacres, predictable consequences of fighting according to Israel).
Mr Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Danish prime minister, made an assessment of the situation to Danish MPs in which he said that it was understandable and explicable that Israel felt the need to defend itself against suicide attacks. Denmark will beholding the Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers as from July onwards. Mr Rasmussen said it was clear that the current escalation of violence wasn't the solution. The Centre-Left opposition in Denmark slammed his attitude as "out-of-line" with the EU's common position.