Strasbourg, 13/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - The French Minister for European Affairs, Noëlle Lenoir, announces in a press release the "positive developments concerning the air service operating in Strasbourg", namely the opening, on 28 March, of six new air connections, thanks above all to the support of the State and the urban community of Strasbourg. "Thanks to public support and to the special effort made by local authorities, the airline services operating for Madrid, Copenhagen, Vienna and Amsterdam will be continued. The Milan line, which has not operated for half a year, will open again and Strasbourg will regain its connection with Munich" (which will allow better connections with "all Eastern Europe, which is essential in the run up to enlargement"), Ms Lenoir noted. This, she insisted, comes in addition to connections "guaranteed without public backing to Paris, London and Brussels and to the geographic proximity of Frankfurt and Basel-Mulhouse". Thus, Ms Lenoir notes, "the target fixed by the Prime Minister is (…) being reached on 1 May this year, to take MEPs a morning to reach Strasbourg with one change". (MEPs of some Member States regularly complain about having to travel for many hours to attend plenary sessions in Strasbourg).