19/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - A press statement has indicated that during a reception organised by the International European Movement (MEI) and chaired by MEP José Maria Gil-Robles for members of the European Convention, President of the Convention, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing (former MEI President) had welcomed the commitment of the Movement in the debate on the future of Europe and "in the diffusion of the European spirit for over half a century". The press statement explains that the MEI debate on the future of Europe will be concluded at the beginning of 2003 at a conference in Athens, which will focus on the results of this debate in EU and candidate countries.