Spirit of co-operation will solve EU enlargement issues, says commission

THE generous spirit with which the Irish said Yes to Nice has encouraged EU foreign ministers to resolve most of the remaining obstacles to enlargement, according to Enlargement Commissioner Gunter Verhoygen.

The ministers met yesterday in Luxembourg to clear the way for the leaders of the 15 member states meeting tomorrow and Friday to take the final steps to admitting 10 new members.

A range of difficult leftovers from the past three years of negotiations between the EU and the candidate countries was agreed by the member states yesterday.