Estonia

ONE might have thought that talk of ensuring the peace in former Yugoslavia would bring the Western European Union (WEU) on to the radar screen of European initiatives, but the little-known agency seems destined to remain in the shadows.

“The Commission does not represent national interests. It takes account of national sensibilities and that is very different.”Commission President Jacques Santer speaking at the Jean Monnet conference on The Future of Europe.

EU finance ministers will give their blessing next week to Finland’s programme for ‘converging’ its economy towards the targets on price and budgetary control required as the entry ticket into economic and monetary union.

EU transport ministers reached a common position on rules for the carriage of dangerous goods by rail. Agreement was reached once Denmark had been reassured that the tighter rules agreed for the Channel Tunnel rail link could be applied to similar tunnel projects in the future.

NATO is being as cagey as the European Union on its plans to offer membership to Central and Eastern European states.