Press Release: Ferrero-Waldner to attend EU-US Troika in Washington 19th March

The Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner will attend an EU-US Ministerial Troika meeting in Washington on 19 March 2007, alongside German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier representing the current EU Presidency, and High Representative Javier Solana. The agenda will be dominated by External Relations issues, notably the Middle East and the announcement of a new Palestinian Government of National Unity, as well as Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Syria; the future of Kosovo; relations with Russia; Sudan/Darfur and Afghanistan. Discussions will also cover preparations for the next EU-US Summit to be held on 30 April 2007 in Washington. The European Commission will signal its full support for the German Presidency's proposal for a new Transatlantic Economic Partnership. Following the Troika meeting, and working lunch, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner will attend a meeting bringing together US and European companies to launch a US-EU Energy Tech CEO Forum to intensify Trans-Atlantic energy technology development.