Brussels, 04/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - According to the Greek press agency ANA, during a telephone conversation with the American Secretary of State Colin Powell, the President of the EU Council Georges Papandreou discussed the prospects of the Iraqi crisis (as well as the situation in the Middle East in general). According to ANA, the State Department spokesperson Richard Boucher indicated in Washington that Mr Powell was regularly in contact with Mr Papandreou in recent days. In Amman, where he was meeting in particular with King Abdulla II, the EU Council President asserted that, according to the leaders met in the region, Saddam Hussein has not as yet realised the gravity of the situation: if he finally does, there remains a serious possibility of avoiding war, added the Greek Minister for Foreign Affairs. We are in the process of developing a plan to tackle the repercussions of a war, but for the time being diplomatic efforts have the priority, he also stated (see yesterday's EUROPE, p. 4).
As for the European Commission President Romano Prodi, according to AFP, he described himself as convinced (in Barcelona, where he was taking part in the 20th anniversary of the Patronato Català Pro Europa Foundation) that, when the European voice will be united, it will be heard by the world.
Moreover, in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Giuliano Amato, Vice-President of the European Convention, felt that the joint statement by eight European leaders, including five from the EU, is a sign of solidarity with Washington in the Iraqi crisis and a lesson for Europe (see EUROPE of 1 February, p.3 and 31 January, p.6). According to him, the absence of a united European position over Iraq is the result of the behaviour of France and Germany, who failed when not campaigning within the European Union in favour of their position. (In the meantime, the Slovakian Prime Minister requested for his name to be added to the bottom of the declaration, joining three other candidate countries: Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic).
Meanwhile, the ad hoc delegation of MEPs will finish its meetings in the United Nations. In particular, the European parliamentarians met the Deputy United States Representative to the UN, James Cunningham, to whom, according to a press release from Elmar Brok, they reminded the position of the European Parliament in favour of a second Security Council resolution before any military intervention. According to the same press release, the Iraqi Representative Mohamed al-Douri asserted that Iraq does not have any arms of mass destruction and that it is cooperating with the UN. As for the British Liberal Democrat Emma Nicholson, she indicated having received, from an absolutely trustworthy source, evidence of the presence in Iraq of components that would enable it to produce element of weapons of mass destruction.
Finally, the European parliamentarian Emma Bonino announced that more than 6500 persons from 82 countries have subscribed to the initiative of Marco Panella (for a free Iraq and asserting Saddam must leave).