Convention: amendments being discussed” “

The Convention on the future of Europe met for its 15th plenary session in Brussels on 27 February. The agenda included a debate on articles 1 to 7 of the draft constitution (concerning the nature and functions of the Union, its values and objectives, national identity of member states, incorporation of the Charter of Rights, […]

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Council of General Affairs” “

In the presence of the Secretary General of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, and the Lebanese Foreign Minister, Mahmoud Hammoud, current president of the Arab League, a meeting of the EU’s Council of general affairs and external relations (CGA) was held in Brussels on Monday, 24 February. The meeting was largely dedicated to the Iraqi […]

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Commission: in favour of enlargement” “

After the Copenhagen Summit in December 2002 which sanctioned the enlargement to the EU to ten new countries, the Union last week (19/2) completed the first procedural step towards their membership. In conformity with the Treaty, the Executive adopted an “Opinion favourable” to the entry of the ten candidates (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, […]

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EU in brief" "

Funding for the European parties” “

“The political parties at the European level are an important factor for integration within the Union. They contribute to forming a European consciousness and expressing the political will of the Union’s citizens”: so reads article 191 of the Treaty of the European Community, recently completed by the provisions contained in the Treaty of Nice. And […]

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Belarus" "

The return of "spring"” “

Belarus: a Central European country that wants to grow and yet still suffers from the “allure” of the former Soviet Union: such is the image of the independent state formerly known as Belorussia; the name means “White Russia”. Belarus is the heir of the long tradition of Mitteleuropa, from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to […]

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France" "

Human cloning: a firm "no"” “

A “World Convention on Bioethics” to affirm the inviolability of human life and its dignity in a clear way in international law: the idea has been launched by the President of the French Republic, Jacques Chirac, on intervening on the 20th anniversary of the National Committee of Ethics on Sunday, 23 February. Speaking to the […]

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Turkey-Cyprus" "

Shared destinies” “

“Turkey is clearly in Europe”. In the view of Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, Turkey’s membership of the European Union will permit greater respect for religious liberty. In an interview granted to the French Catholic daily “La Croix” (20 February 2003), the Patriarch, supreme spiritual authority for some 300 million Orthodox in the world, calls […]

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Bosnia-Herzegovina" "

The cries of those who still suffer” “

“We who experienced and are still experiencing the tragedy of war, wish to say to the whole world, in particular to the powerful of the earth: don’t take the path of war, because it’s a path of no return. Peace is the only road to follow”: one of the passages in the joint declaration signed […]

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Usa-Iraq" "

"Never again the logic of war"” “

“Never shall we be happy with one man pitted against the other; never shall the future of humanity be determined by terrorism and the logic of war”. The Pope’s cri de coeur on Sunday 23 February continues to reverberate also in the numerous appeals for peace made in recent days in various countries and by […]

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European Churches" "

The approach of Lent” “

As Lent approaches – it opens on 5 March, Ash Wednesday – many initiatives of prayer and solidarity are being taken in various European countries. The international crisis and a possible war against Iraq, in particular, characterize some of them. The Pope himself took the lead on Sunday 23 February, by inviting all the faithful […]

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