EU-DIGEST - special edition

Bolstering Europe's influence on the world stage - and especially on the new American administration - will be the top priority for France when it takes over the presidency of the European Union in July, Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of France said Monday.

Kouchner said France wanted to promote efforts to create a common EU defense policy and to work closely with Washington, once a new U.S. president is elected, on issues like peace in the Middle East. France will take over the EU's six-month rotating presidency from Slovenia on July 1, and a new American president will be inaugurated in January. For the complete report from the IHT click on this link