As the leader of the free world George Bush is known to be a busy man. There have also been question-marks in the past over his attention span and dislike of protracted debate, but, even by the standards of the Bush White House, the assembled heads of Europe will be given short shrift tomorrow when they gather to address the President of the United States.
President Bush arrived in Brussels last night for his week-long tour of Europe. When 25 elected heads of state assemble tomorrow in the Justus Lipsius building, which houses the Council of Ministers,
eleven of them have been chosen to address the US President on an international matter of importance, they will be allocated a minimal amount of time, the betting is five minutes each. Bertie Ahern (Ireland) Russia. Will act as honest broker, outlining EU policy towards Moscow ahead of Mr Bush's visit with Vladimir Putin
Jan-Peter Balkenende (Netherlands) Counter-terrorism. Will underline efforts by the EU to co-operate with the US on security
Silvio Berlusconi (Italy) Economic reform. Will stress the EU's bid to list competitiveness through structural economic reforms
Tony Blair (UK) Middle East peace process. Will call for US commitment to 'road-map' and stress vital role in regional stability.
Jacques Chirac (France) European integration. Expected to outline the next steps in integration that will flow from the EU constitution
Mikulas Dzurinda (Slovakia) Iraq. Will stress the EU's contribution to helping to shore up the new government
Ferenc Gyurcsany (Hungary) Ukraine. Will explain policy to encourage reform without immediate view of membership of EU
Goran Persson (Sweden) Millennium Development Goals. Will cover EU commitment to eliminating poverty in the Third World
Gerhard Schröder (Germany) Iran. Will ask for more public American backing for European diplomatic engagement with Tehran
Wolfgang Schüssel (Austria) Balkans. Will seek US support for EU policy in Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia
Jose Zapatero (Spain) Barcelona process. Will underline the EU's efforts to build democracy in the Mediterranean region
http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=613151