Eamon Ryan
Question:86 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Defence if Ireland has been invited to the special EU defence summit in April 2003 in Brussels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9000/03]
Written Answers - EU Defence Summit.
In the course of the European Council meeting held on 20-21 March, the Belgian Prime Minister, Mr. Verhofstadt, indicated that he had invited the French President, Mr. Chirac, and the German Prime Minister, Mr. Schröder, to Brussels on 29 April 2003 for discussions on closer co-operation in European defence issues. This initiative was described as also being open to other member states.
As the meeting, which has been described as an "open initiative", is not being held under the aegis of the EU Council and is outside the EU institutional framework, it is not proposed that Ireland will participate.