European Union

EU, Cuba say relations have thawed; 32-million-dollars on horizon

EU, Cuba say relations have thawed; 32-million-dollars on horizon Brussels/Havana - After a five-year cold spell, the European Union and Cuba have started warming up relations again, with the pledge of a 25-million-euro 
(32-million-dollar) EU contribution from its fund for environment, technology, trade, culture and catastrophic protections.

EU Commissioner Louis Michel made the announcement as part of a declaration signed Thursday in Havana.

Discount airlines criticize EU airport standardization initiative

Discount airlines criticize EU airport standardization initiative Strasbourg - Europe's largest airports would need transparent coordination of their fees and regulations under legislation approved by the European Parliament Thursday.

The move drew immediate criticism from the European Low Fares Airline Association (ELFAA), which argued that legislators missed a chance to set limits on airport monopolies.

General Secretary John Hanlon said the new law would do nothing more than burden airports and airlines with more administrative burdens.

EU to hold special financial summit on November 7

EU to hold special financial summit on November 7 Bru

Syria hails EU official's visit as sign of foreign policy success

SyriaDamascus - The Syrian government Thursday hailed a visit from the European Union's chief diplomat as a sign that its foreign policy is reaping successes.

"With the visit of (EU foreign policy chief Javier) Solana, Europe has truly and officially announced that it wants to open up to Syria," said Buthaina Shaaban, spokeswoman for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, after the meeting between the two men.

Shaaban went on to say that the EU's position was "only natural, given the positive and stable role that Syria is playing in the region."

Asia must join response to financial crisis, EU says

Beijing - Major Asian economies Japan, China and India must play a full role in overcoming the global financial crisis, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Thursday.

"We need to take the lessons of the crisis for reform of the global financial system," Barroso told reporters ahead of a summit of Asian and European leaders.

"We need Asia on board," he said, adding that the participation of China, India and Japan was vital for a global solution to the crisis.

"Apart from the financial dimensions of the crisis, there are major imbalances in global trade," Barroso said.

Chinese civil rights activist wins EU Sakharov Prize

Strasbourg, France - The European Parliament on Thursday awarded its prestigious Sakharov Prize to Hu Jia, a Chinese civil rights activist, rejecting warnings from Beijing.

Hu Jia was picked from a shortlist of candidates that also comprised Aleksandr Kozulin, a former presidential candidate in Belarus, and Apollinaire Malu Malu, who chairs the Independent Electoral Commission of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The decision was designed to send a strong signal to China on the day in which European Union officials were meeting their Asian counterparts in Beijing.

Shortly before the announcement, the Chinese authorities reportedly sent a letter to the European Parliament cautioning it against choosing Hu Jia.

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