Brussels, 01/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - The EU troika consisting of the president of the Council Brian Cowen, the CFSP High Representative Javier Solana and the European Commissioner for external relations Chris Patten brought up on 1 March, during the meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Washington, the subject of the next EU/US summit (EUROPE 28 February p 6) planned for 25-26 June in Ireland. Before the meeting in Washington, the Irish minister for foreign affairs pointed out that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and himself had underlined on a number of occasions their desire for the Irish presidency to strengthen EU /US relations.
Cowen, Solana and Patten, who met President Bush's advisor on national security Condoleeza Rice, also held discussions on developments in Iraq and Iran, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process (Cowen informed US partners of his meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Shalom), discussions about Cyprus and preparation for the transfer of responsibility to SFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina from NATO to the EU (EUROPE 26 February p 6). A communiqué from the Irish presidency pointed out that Irish troops had served with the stabilisation force in Bosnia since 1997.
On 2 March Javier Solana will stop over in New York for UN meetings, before leaving for Cairo where the ministerial meeting of the Arab League is being held.