European Union foreign ministers today considered a call for an immediate ceasefire for south Lebanon, working to overcome British reluctance and form a united front.

EU leaders were today poised to endorse a plan to resume aid payments to cash-starved Palestinians focusing on health, social services and utilities such as heating and sanitation, while maintaining a funding freeze on the Hamas-led government.

Senior European Union officials stressed that a diplomatic solution over Iran’s nuclear programme is still possible but also appeared to leave open the possibility of Tehran being hit by sanctions.

The European Union today threatened to cut off aid to a Hamas-led Palestinian government “unless it seeks peace by peaceful means,” in its strongest signal on the issue to date.

The European Commission today proposed that it negotiate a trade and co-operation accord with Iraq and committed itself to opening an office in Baghdad early next year.

Latin American countries urged the European Union yesterday to do more to help fight poverty by providing more trade access to its vast market and by stepping up aid to help combat the cultivation of drugs.

The European Union is to press Russia today over concerns that Moscow is not working hard enough for democratic reforms the EU says are crucial to generating economic growth and investments.

A senior parliamentary official today defeated a candidate backed by right-wing populist Joerg Haider in a presidential election that showed voter dissatisfaction with the country’s government.

A senior parliamentary official today defeated a rival backed by right-wing populist Joerg Haider in a presidential election that also indicated voter dissatisfaction with the country’s government, preliminary results showed.