Today, the Union of European Federalists (UEF), together with the European Movement International (EMI) and the Young European Federalists (JEF) handed over a statement in which three organisations express the urgent need for an EU Foreign Minister.

The statement was handed over to Foreign Affairs Minister of the Finnish Government, Mr Erkki Tuomioja, who also chairs the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council during the Finnish EU Presidency. The occasion was a public discussion on the situation in the Middle East and the role of the European Union in the region which was organised by EMI, UEF and the European Movement Finland.

In its statement, the organisations state that as the current crisis in Lebanon has shown, the current European Union cannot take up a leading role in global peace diplomacy. Its institutional system is too weak and its budget not sufficient. Even though the Junde proposals of the Commission are a first step, they qre not sufficient to overcome the institutional vacuum left by the absence of a single post in charge of foreign policy, namely an EU Foreign Minister.

* To read the full statement, please see the document attached.

You can now also view the pictures from the event in Helsinki on-line on the EMI website: http://www.europeanmovement.org/photos.cfm 

Notes to editors

Founded in 1946, the Union of European Federalists (UEF) is an independent and non-governmental European organisation, campaigning for a federal Europe. It unites constituent organisations and federalists from 20 European countries and all age groups. Since April 2005, it is presided over by Mrs. Mercedes BRESSO, President of the Italian Region of Piedmont, Member of the EU Committee of the Regions.

For more information about the UEF or this press release please contact:

Dr. Friedhelm FRISCHENSCHLAGER, UEF Secretary-General, Tel: +32 2 508 30 30