Members in blue. Candidates in Green. Note that includes Croatia and Turkey. I heard today that Croatia is a new vacation destination.
Posted on 03/30/2007 12:18:14 PM PDT by Froufrou
EU foreign ministers have demanded the immediate release of 15 British navy personnel seized by Iran a week ago.
The 27 ministers voiced "unconditional support" for Britain in the dispute, in a statement agreed at a meeting in the north German port city of Bremen.
They urged "the immediate and unconditional release" of the crew.
The EU said it reserved the right to take "appropriate measures" if Iran did not comply - though the measures were not spelled out.
The BBC's Oana Lungescu in Bremen says the strongly-worded EU statement goes much further than the UN's expression of "grave concern" about the Iran-UK dispute on Thursday.
Germany hosted the EU meeting as it currently holds the EU presidency.
'Unacceptable act'
Earlier, French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy described Iran's detention of the Royal Navy crew as "a very serious and unacceptable act which we immediately condemned".
"We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the British," he added.
The UK Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, did not explicitly ask for a suspension of EU business ties with Tehran.
France and other big European countries, including Germany and Italy, have important economic interests in Iran and would be reluctant to heed such calls, our reporter says.
The European external affairs commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, warned that the EU had to be careful at a very delicate moment in relations with Iran.
Europe should make clear where it stood, she said, but also hold the door open to negotiations on Tehran's controversial nuclear programme.
The foreign minister of Turkey, whose country is trying to intervene on the UK sailors' behalf, was also invited to the meeting in Bremen.
The ministers also discussed the Middle East and Kosovo.
A paper prepared for the meeting says an EU police mission - the largest of its kind set up by the bloc - could be in place in Kosovo for at least two years and the international community will need to raise $2bn (£1bn) to prop up the province's fragile economy.
EU ping!
More nasty letters in all caps?
"grave concern" becomes "GRAVE CONCERN?"
The bad part about it is the EU is toothless. They bring nothing to the fight, and don't have military assets. In short, a Paper Tiger.
what with they do?
throw a croissant or bratwurst at the iranians?
this is a repeat of '79, they think the West will cower again.
Ohoooooo. Now their shaking. /s
The ministers also discussed the Middle East and Kosovo.
A paper prepared for the meeting says an EU police mission - the largest of its kind set up by the bloc - could be in place in Kosovo for at least two years and the international community will need to raise $2bn (£1bn) to prop up the province's fragile economy.
Lemme take a wild guess at what appropriate measures are lurking in the deep recesses of their minds.
The EU needs to write a stongly worded letter of disapproval. And no French pastries for two weeks, unless the hostages are released. sarc>
Your worst fears may just come true. There's talk of recalling their Cappuccino repairmen from Iran.
Yes, I've been there. It is beautiful. It was the "French Riviera" of the Communists during the Cold War. It was weird flying from the war zone in Sarajevo to Croatia in just a short time and seeing the incredible contrast.
The only "presure" that works on the iranian nut jobs is about 200,000PSI overpressure at multiple locations.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.