21.   Sir Leon was in Washington with Italian Foreign Minister Susanna Agnelli, whose country holds the current EU presidency.

22.   Sources close to the current Spanish EU presidency indicated that consultations over the last week had produced a qualified majority required for approval of the Brussels battle plan.

23.   The EU statement, published here because the Netherlands holds the current EU presidency, said it hoped the pact would herald reconciliation and lasting stabilisation for the country.

24.   The Netherlands holds the current EU presidency.