EU delegates on mission to Middle East

Paris - The EU will try to bring Middle Eastern countries into a broad anti-terrorist alliance by dangling the prospect of a …

Paris - The EU will try to bring Middle Eastern countries into a broad anti-terrorist alliance by dangling the prospect of a new geostrategic deal, according to the Belgian Foreign Minister, Mr Louis Michel.

An EU delegation of four will leave today on a mission to six countries in the Middle East.Mr Michel said the officials would reassure host countries that an alliance would be anti-terrorist, but not anti-Islam.

"We will explain the position of the European Union, tell our Arab friends on the ground that there is no amalgam possible: it is a coalition against terrorism, against fanatics, but not against Islam," said Mr Michel.