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EU News Flashes and Events for 97-05-12
From: EUROPA, the European Commission Server at <http://europa.eu.int>
CONTENTS
[01] UK-EU deal at Amsterdam
[02] Klima-NATO entry in first round
[03] Macedonia/Croatia/trade agreement
[04] U.S. sees role for APEC in trade
[05] French centre-right widens in poll
[06] Mobutu returns to Zaire
[07] WTO/China relations
[08] Main EU events for May 12
[01] UK-EU deal at Amsterdam
LONDON - New British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said on Friday after talks
with visiting Dutch premier Wim Kok that he believed the European Union would
be able to conclude a treaty in Amsterdam next month to overhaul the 15-nation
bloc.
[02] Klima-NATO entry in first round
VIENNA - Austrian Chancellor Viktor Klima said on Friday there was no question
of Austria joining NATO in the first round of its expansion, expected to
include former Warsaw Pact states.
[03] Macedonia/Croatia/trade agreement
SKOPJE - Macedonia and Croatia signed an agreement on free trade here on
Friday in order to create conditions for the establishment of a free trade
zone by January 2000.
[04] U.S. sees role for APEC in trade
MONTREAL - The United States wants Asia-Pacific countries to expand free trade
in information technology, telecommunications and financial services so that
the region can influence the World Trade Organisation agenda, U.S. Trade
Representative Charlene Barshefsky said on Saturday.
[05] French centre-right widens in poll
PARIS - France's governing centre-right has widened its lead over the left two
weeks ahead of the first-round ballot in a snap parliamentary election,
according to a new poll made public on Saturday.
[06] Mobutu returns to Zaire
KINSHASA - Zaire's ailing and embattled President Mobutu Sese Seko arrived
back in his capital Kinshasa on Saturday after agreeing to talks with rebel
leader Laurent Kabila which could avert a battle for the city.
[07] WTO/China relations
MONTREAL - Countries belonging to the World Trade Organisation should be
flexible and understanding about China's bid to join the WTO, the
organisation's director-general said on Saturday.
[08] Main EU events for May 12
BRUSSELS - EU finance ministers meeting begins at 0800 GMT; review of which
countries have deficits and debt out of line with the Maastricht treaty
economic convergence criteria for a single currency; review of Spain and
Portugal's economic convergence programmes.
STRASBOURG - European Parliament plenary session begins at 1500 GMT (first of
five days); debate on code of conduct for lobbyists.
BRUSSELS - Euro Citizen Action Service Director Tony Venables addresses Centre
for European Policy Studies lunchtime meeting on "The IGC and citizens'
rights" on the inter-governmental conference on EU treaty reforms at 1115 GMT.
From EUROPA, the European Commission Server at http://europa.eu.int/
© ECSC - EC - EAEC, Brussels-Luxembourg, 1995, 1996
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