Cowen to tell EU it should stand aside for US

THE EU should give up the idea of becoming a counterweight to the US in world affairs, Foreign Minister Brian Cowen will tell his colleagues today at a meeting in Greece.

Instead they should acknowledge that the members’ one-to-one relationships with America are the most important and then concentrate on slowly building an alliance of equals between the US and the EU.

Mr Cowen was invited by Greece, the current holders of the rotating presidency, to lead a major discussion on the transatlantic relationship at a meeting of all 25 new and current EU members. The Iraq war has created a major crisis and divisions within the EU and between the union and the US over the past few months and members are anxious to heal the rifts.