Brussels, 07/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's three representatives to the intergovernmental conference (IGC) on the new European Union treaty, namely German Christian Democrat Elmar Brok (EPP-ED), British Liberal Democrat Andrew Duff (ALDE, UK), and Spanish Socialist Enrique Baron Crespo (PES), attended the Gymnich-type meeting of EU foreign ministers that began on Friday afternoon in Viana do Castelo (Portugal) with a discussion about the treaty. The three MEPs explain in a press release that they called for tight respect of the negotiating mandate approved by the European Council in June 2007 and that although the IGC mandate is detailed and exhaustive, some issues 'need clarification', like the status of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (to which the EP has always attached great importance), EU citizenship (which the EP wants to be given its 'proper status' in the treaty), the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the opt-outs for the United Kingdom in areas of freedom, justice and security. EUROPE will report on the outcome of the Viana do Castelo meeting in the next issue. (hb)