• by IPS Correspondents (brussels)
• Thursday, December 08, 1994
• Inter Press Service

BRUSSELS, Dic 08 (IPS) - The invitation of six central and eastern European countries to the European Union (EU) two-day summit in the south-eastern German city of Essen has caused a serious rift to develop among the 12 government leaders and heads of state.

A senior diplomat said the German initiative has caused serious disagreement among the leaders who begin their talks Friday.

EU member Greece demanded that other associated candidates like Malta and Cyprus be invited -- while Denmark, Sweden and Finland wanted the Baltic states also to take part in the summit. Apparently Turkey also expressed the wish to attend the summit as an associated and possible future member.

"With the presence of the six central and eastern European leaders, a precedence has been created for the next summit. This means that the next meeting will be attended by more than 20 countries, which are not yet full members. This will paralyse decision making in the Union," the senior diplomat said.

The leaders of Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Slovakia will meet their EU partners Saturday during a lunch.

During preparations for the summit the German presidency has been criticised for stirring up smouldering North-South differences with Bonn's ambitious plans to enlarge the European Union in the direction of central and eastern Europe.

The southern member states Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy wanted equal attention for their hinterland-- the Mediterranean Sea region. They have found support in the outgoing European Commission President Jacques Delors who has warned of the threat of Muslim fundamentalism from Algeria.

As one highranking EU diplomat pointed out: "We see it as a priority for the European Union to secure the Mediterranean rim, the threat from that side is much more serious than any that might come from the East."

At the Essen summit the EU leaders will decide on the proposal of the European Commission to reserve 6.65 billion dollars of financial aid for the period 1995-1999 to the Mediterranean countries.

But diplomats said a majority of the leaders refused to commit themselves to the Commission's proposal as long there is no structured programme like the Phare programme for the Central and Eastern European Countries.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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