EU Middle East Tour: 16-19 November 2001
The Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and the President of the European Commission Prodi are undertaking a tour of the Middle East as part of the European Union's constant efforts to bring peace to the region.
The tour will include talks successfully with President Mubarak in Cairo, with Chairman Arafat in Gaza, with Prime minister Sharon in Jerusalem, with King Abdullah in Amman, with President Assad in Damascus, and with President Lahoud and prime minister Hariri in Beirut.
The tour is being undertaken at the request of the European Council of Heads of State and Government, which is currently chaired by the Prime minister Verhofstadt of Belgium.
He European Union's executive bodied include the European Council of heads of state and Government, the Council of ministers and the European Commission.
The European Commission has a five year mandate and its President Romano Prodi, sits on a permanent basis in the European council of Heads of state and Government and the council of ministers. The Presidency of the European Council of Heads of state and Government and of the council of ministers rotates on a six- monthly basis, with Belgium currently holding the chair from 1 July to 31 December 2002. Spain comes next for the first half of 2002.
