The political priorities listed today by Hans-Gert Poettering in front of the accredited journalists in Strasbourg are three. The German MEP, a 61-year-old jurist with a long experience within the EU, has been elected today President of the European Parliament as a result of an agreement between the two major political groups, the People’s Party and the Socialists. "The first job for all of us is to bring the EU closer to its citizens. The Union is not just an economical market, but a community of values. This is what we should communicate to the European peoples, and I ask the press and the mass media to support me in this". Poettering added: "My contribution will be towards implementing the substance of the Constitutional project", which is necessary "to go on with the reforms such a wide Union needs". The third goal listed by the German president concerns "cultural dialogue" and dialogue "with the Arab world and with Islam". In addition, care for the relations with Israel "and with all of the Mediterranean area", by "giving prominence to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary assembly". (to be continued)
