30/08/2004 (Agence Europe) - Speaking on Monday at the start of the conference of 120 Belgian diplomats and foreign representatives, the new Belgian foreign minister Karel De Gucht (Flemish Liberal) said that given their size, Flanders and Wallonia could operate like states (like the Czech Republic, Slovakia or Slovenia) within the European Union. The Belga press agency said the former MEP added that a distinction could be made between French-speaking and Dutch-speaking votes on the EU Council when there were differences of opinion (concerning farming for example). On the Belgian Presidency of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) in 2005, De Gucht said that a merger between the OSCE and the Council of Europe could not be ruled out in the long term, despite the fact the two organisations do not have the same Member States (the United States and Canada are not part of the Council of Europe, for example).