Brussels, 13/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - During a press conference, Giuliano Amato confirmed, on Thursday evening, that the "preliminary document" by European Socialists, that is largely based on the work carried out in Birmingham, should be published on 3 October. He insisted on the fact that this will not be a structured draft treaty but rather a series of guidelines and principles that the PES hopes to defend. The document is first of all expected to tackle the aims, the missions of the EU and the Socialist vision of institutional balance, said Mr Amato, saying: "There is a time for everything, as I have said, and the time has not yet come for producing a structured text". "It is a matter of moving forward in parallel to the work of the Convention", he added, while taking a stance in favour of a final project that would take the form of a Constitution and consolidated treaty, amended to be conform to the Constitution. Mr Amato described Elmar Brok's contribution as a "good text" with a number of positions that are shared. He expressed the hope that the "platforms of the two large political families will be able to converge" (See EUROPE of 11 September, p.4).