Brussels, 08/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - Following a meeting for clarification on Wednesday in Brussels, the president of the European Commission Romano Prodi and the president of the management committee of the World Jewish Congress, Israel Singer, announced to the press that dialogue would immediately begin between the Commission and Jewish organisation for holding a seminar on anti-Semitism in Europe (EUROPE yesterday p 5). The spokesperson for the Commission, Reijo Kemppinen told journalists (who wanted to know if the conference would be in February) that they had not set a date yet but that they hoped that it would be as early as possible. Mr Singer was the barer of a message from the President of the World Jewish Council, Edgar M. Bronfman and informed Mr Prodi that in order to resolve the recent controversy that had exploded over the last few days between the two institutions, he considered that a personal meeting would be both important and necessary. He therefore asked for a meeting for himself and the president of the European Jewish Congress, Cobi Benatoff as soon as possible. Mr Kemppininen indicated that this meeting would take place in a fortnight.
Addressing the press Romano Prodi stressed that after his "friendly, very friendly" meeting with Mr Singer, dialogue would ensure based on "complete mutual trust" and that "We are closing an episode and opening a phase of the utmost importance for our societies". Mr Singer said that if there is someone who could be completely trusted, it was Mr Prodi. The former explained that they had gone over the details for the seminar which will be "something which has teeth" and on which they would work "together as a team". Mr Singer said that there was a problem of anti-Semitism in Europe and that the Commission was prepared to launch a frontal attack on it. He added that everyone, including Jews had to feel comfortable and in security, as President Prodi (who pointed out, laughing, that he had received a letter bomb in Bologna). Can the Israeli government be criticised without being accused of anti-Semitism? Yes, in Israel that can happen all the time, Jews criticise the government without being accused of anti-Semitism but it is done peacefully without threats or violence, exclaimed Mr Singer. All this finished with an embrace between Romano Prodi and Israel Singer.