Brussels - The European Union's unity was left foundering on Monday as six mid-weight member states protested against the growing tendency to hold mini-summits of selected members, just days ahead of a full emergency summit on the economic crisis.

"I must admit I'm extremely worried about the EU's institutional chaos. Never in the EU's history has there been a period like this with so many cliques," Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said after a regular meeting with EU counterparts.

Jerusalem - Outgoing Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert suspended a top defence ministry official from negotiating with Egyptian mediators on a truce with militants in the Gaza Strip and the return of an Israeli soldier held captive in the salient for two-and-a-half years.

Israel Radio quoted unnamed "high-ranking figures in the Prime Minister's Office" as saying Monday that the talks with Egypt would now be conducted by Olmert's office, and Amos Gilad would no longer be the envoy.

Berlin  - Gerhard Schroeder, the former German chancellor, informed the current German government before his trip to Teheran to meet with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a Berlin spokesman said Monday.

German Jewish leaders reacted with shock to the trip, because of the Iranian leader's previous denial of the Holocaust.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's deputy spokesman, Thomas Steg, said there was no cause to criticize Schroeder. He said he assumed that Schroeder's remarks to Iranian leaders were in accord with German policy towards Iran.

Johannesburg  - South Africa's ruling African National Congress said it would never endanger the health of former president Nelson Mandela after drawing criticism for flying him to an election rally in wet conditions to support the party.

At a press conference Monday the ANC's campaign director Fikile Mbabula insisted: "The ANC would not put the life of Madiba at risk," referring to Mandela by his clan name.

Mbalula also insisted that the 90-year-old anti-apartheid icon had expressly asked to attend an ANC rally together with controversial leader, Jacob Zuma.

Copenhagen  - A majority of Danish voters want fresh elections should Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen decide to leave office, a survey published Monday suggested.

Rasmussen has been mentioned in connection with the post of NATO secretary-general, although the premier last week said he was "not a candidate for any international post."

Polling institute Catinet Research said six in 10 Danish voters wanted Rasmussen to call new elections rather than hand over the reins to his designated successor, Finance Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

Jerusalem  - Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called Sunday on his designated successor, Benjamin Netanyahu, to form a new government "fast" and said those negotiating the new coalition should do so "quickly and efficiently."

Israeli media sites quoted Olmert as telling ministers at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem that "until the formation of a new government, the current Israeli government will continue to run the state's affairs without relinquishing one gram of responsibility."