POLITICS
NETHERLANDS TO PRESIDE AT EU COUNCIL
The Kingdom of Netherlands took over the post of President from Ireland, whose six-months term of presidency at the Council of European Union expired. Thus, until 1 January 2005, the Netherlands will preside at the EU Council, AzerTAj correspondent reported.
According to the forecasts of government of the Netherlands, political circles of the country, including columnists and analysts, the Netherlands has to have a hard presidency. So, in the period of its presidency, the Netherlands is to realize cooperation with the countries, claiming for membership, in the direction of much more expansion the EU bounds, not later than December of current year organize resumption of negotiations on the question on integration of Romania and Bulgaria to the European Union, admission of Turkey to the EU. Besides, in the whole, the Netherlands is also to solve such a problem as establishment and planning of finance prospects of the European Union up to 2013.