Australia's Downer to discuss trade with EU

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer was to meet leading EU officials today to discuss trade ties and foreign policy issues, including relations with the US, officials said.

Downer’s visit comes in the wake of comments made by Australian Prime Minister John Howard at this past weekend’s Davos forum in which he accused some EU nations of anti-Americanism at a time when the EU wants to mend trans-Atlantic ties frayed by the war in Iraq.

In Paris earlier this week, Downer sought to smooth over the issue with his French counterpart Michel Barnier.

Today, Downer will first visit European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso at EU headquarters in Brussels before heading to Luxembourg, which currently holds the EU presidency.

Downer met NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoof Scheffer on yesterday and also held talks with the EU internal market and justice chiefs.