22/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - At the last meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) last Friday, chaired by Italian Permanent Representative Umberto Vattani, the Italian Presidency passed responsibility on to the Irish (see Europe of 19 December, p.4, on the press conference organised by the new President of the Council of the EU, Irish foreign minister Brian Cowen, and Europe of 20 November, p.6, on Irish President Mary McAleese's address to the European Parliament). On...