EU Leaders Hold Talks on Middle East, Afghanistan

10/05/2001| IslamWeb

LONDON (Islamweb & News Agencies) - Key European leaders held lightning talks in London on Sunday to discuss the war on terrorism and agreed to try to push for progress in the stalled Middle East peace process.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair hosted a dinner for French President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Lionel Jospin and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, as well as other leaders who came when the invitation list was extended.
Spain's Jose Maria Aznar, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana were also included in the informal ``mini-summit.''
Belgium holds the revolving European Union presidency. Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok was a late arrival for a dinner which broke up late in the evening.
``We were unanimous on the absolute need to find a solution to the current problems of the Middle East,'' Chirac told reporters after leaving Blair's Downing Street residence.
He said the leaders gave full backing to the United States engaged in military action in Afghanistan, while stressing the need to find a political framework for that country's future.
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