Vietnam News Agency
April 29 2004
European Economic Summit opens
Warsaw, April 29 (VNA) – Almost 700 representatives from 45 countries
gathered in the Polish capital on Wednesday at the start of a
three-day European economic summit devoted to the economic impact of
the European Union’s May 1 enlargement.
Organised by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum, the summit, which
starts just three days from the historic expansion, was expected to
gather 20 presidents and prime ministers, along with 600 other
ministers, central bankers, representatives from the EU and other
international organisations, and 50 companies.
Delegates started out by holding working sessions on making Europe
more business-friendly, the private sector’s role in developing
eastern Europe’s transport infrastructure, reform of the EU’s Common
Agricultural Policy and the ins and outs of the euro currency.
The European Economic Summit has been held every year in Salzburg,
Austria, since 1996.
This year, as an exception, the meeting is being held in Poland, the
biggest of the 10 countries set to join the EU on May 1, along with
Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,
Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia.
The summit is also expected to give the opportunity for bilateral
meetings, including only the second meeting between Azeri President
Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Robert Kocharian.-Enditem