EU leaders approve new terrorism Czar

Old differences set aside
A sense of embattled unity engendered by the Madrid bombings has seen nations bury old differences that go beyond the immediate response to terrorism. In an effort to strengthen ties, the leaders also were expected to reopen talks on the EU’s first constitution, three months after they broke down in acrimonious stalemate.



De Vries was born in New York and holds joint U.S.-Dutch citizenship. Details of his new role were not fully defined, but he will report to Javier Solana, who heads the EU’s foreign and security department.

The leaders also will study ways to streamline the sharing of information on threat groups, but they stayed away from establishing a European intelligence agency modeled after the CIA, which Belgium and Austria have proposed.

On the constitution, Ahern said bilateral talks with EU leaders since January have revealed “a strong shared sense of the desirability of concluding negotiations as soon as possible.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4602622/

Europe being driven together.

NT!