Brussels - European Union efforts to revive "zombie banks" poisoned by toxic assets and to jointly supervise the bloc's troubled financial sector gained momentum Wednesday as experts in Brussels issued a series of recommendations to member states.
But those pushing for the swift creation of a pan-European supervisory body were set for disappointment, with officials saying such an option was currently "unrealistic".
Beirut - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana arrived Wednesday in the Lebanese capital Beirut on the second leg of a week- long Mideast diplomacy tour.
Solana arrived from Damascus, where he met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallim. with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The EU foreign policy chief was due to hold talks in Beirut with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Fouad Seniora and House Speaker Nabih Berri, as well as Foreign Minister Fawzi Salkhouh.
Damascus - European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, told reporters in Damascus after meeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday that he hoped 2009 would be a year of peace talks.
Solana, who began a week-long trip to the Middle East in Syria Tuesday night, said he had "the feeling there is a desire to push negotiations (with Israel) forward" after his morning meeting with al-Assad and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallim.
Solana said that the EU's condemnation of the Islamist Palestinian Hamas group was clear and constant.
Amman - European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering said Tuesday that the European Union was after the role of a "fair and objective partner" in world efforts, aimed at setting up a vital Palestinian state to live in peace with Israel.
In an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa, Pottering made it clear THAT the EU would not deal with Hamas until the Islamist militant movement, which has controlled the Gaza Strip since June 2007, changes its policies and becomes part of a Palestinian "consensus government."
Damascus - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana arrived in Damascus for high-level talks on Tuesday afternoon, at the start of a week-long tour of the region.
Over the course of his two-day stay in Damascus, Solana will meet Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah al-Dardari on Tuesday evening, followed by a meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallim on Wednesday.
Brussels - European Union efforts to revive "zombie banks" poisoned by toxic assets and to jointly supervise the bloc's troubled financial sector gained momentum Wednesday as experts in Brussels issued a series of recommendations to member states.
Brussels - The European Union's executive will use the force of the law to fight c
Beirut - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana arrived Wednesday in the Lebanese capital Beirut on the second leg of a week- long Mideast diplomacy tour.
Damascus - European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, told reporters in Damascus after meeting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday that he hoped 2009 would be a year of peace talks.
Amman - European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering said Tuesday that the European Union was after the role of a "fair and objective partner" in world efforts, aimed at setting up a vital Palestinian state to live in peace with Israel.
Damascus - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana arrived in Damascus for high-level talks on Tuesday afternoon, at the start of a week-long tour of the region.
