29/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - Like the President of the European Parliament Josep Borrell (yesterday's EUROPE, p.6), the European Commission and the Council of the EU expressed their delight at the freeing of Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, who had been taken hostage in Iraq on 7 September. I cannot find the words to express how happy I am, said European Commission President Romano Prodi in a press release, adding: it is unacceptable that "two young ladies committed to the service of peace (...) and aid to the weakest sections of the Iraqi population could have been the object of such a hateful and unjustifiable act". Javier Solana, the High Representative for CFSP, said that he was delighted that the two Simonas (as they were known in Iraq, where they worked for the NGO "A Bridge for Baghdad") had been freed safe and sound. He reiterated an appeal for all other hostages in Iraq to be freed quickly as well.