§ Geraint DaviesTo ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the informal European Council in Athens on 16 April. [109538]
§ The Prime MinisterI attended the Informal European Council in Athens on 16 April.
The centrepiece of the meeting was the signature by the member states and the Accession Countries of the Treaty which formalises their membership of the European Union. After ratification in all the countries the new member states will formally join the Union in May next year. In the meantime they will participate as active observers in most of the Union's meetings.
I expressed my unreserved welcome for enlargement and the contribution which it makes to the democratic stability of Europe and to its prosperity.
The European Council heard a report from the Chairman of the Convention, President Giscard d'Estaing, on progress so far. The Council reaffirmed its
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£ million (1)Central government support to BR in 1976 Public Expenditure Survey prices (2)Central government support to BR in cash prices (3)External finance requirement (EFR) of BR in cash prices (4)EFR of BR and, since privatisation, central government support to rail industry in cash prices (5)Total rail investment in cash prices 1972–73 171 110 1973–74 251 119 1974–75 533 147 1975–76 507 216 1976–77 457 213 1977–78 479 249 1978–79 494 281 1979–80 641 367 1980–81 790 431 1981–82 960 409 1982–83 848 378 1983–84 811 439 1984–85 1,045 476 1985–86 910 550 1986–87 777 530 1987–88 545 631 1988–89 376 695 1989–90 711 889 1990–91 1,077 1,022 1991–92 1,464 1,293 1992–93 2,064 1,476 1993–94 1,461 1,184 1994–95 1,497 1,250 1995–96 231 1,100 1996–97 775 1,225 1997–98 1,454 1,544 1998–99 1,249 1,999 1999–2000 1,106 2,248 2000–01 931 2,958 2001–02 1,520 4,070 commitment to the successful completion of the Convention by the June meeting of the European Council.
The European Council took the opportunity to discuss Iraq in the presence of the Secretary General, Kofi Annan. We reaffirmed the view the UN should play a central role in Iraq; that Iraqis should progressively be involved in the management of their country and that the EU would consult on the contribution it could make beyond the humanitarian assistance already being offered.
I had separate bilateral meetings with the UN Secretary General, with the Irish Prime Minister and the President of the Commission.