The European Union (EU) held in Luxembourg on Tuesday an emergency foreign ministers' meeting, aiming to tackle the recent outbreak of bird flu in Europe and the EU's position on WTO talks.

The one-day meeting was held at France's request, and it will "focus on the coordination of EU positions in the WTO - Doha Development Agenda negotiations" ahead of the World Trade Organization (WTO) General Council in Geneva on Wednesday, said a press release issued by the EU headquarters.

On Oct. 10, reacting to US proposals on agricultural domestic support, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson welcomed the US step and indicated in particular that the EU would match - and indeed go substantially beyond - the 60-percent cut in the most trade distorting support proposed by the US.
 
France, however, expressed displeasure over cutting agricultural subsidies.

Another mission for the meeting is to tackle the avian flu.

"The (European) Commission and the (EU) Presidency are expected to share the latest information available on the extent of outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza. The (European) Commission is expected to outline the measures it has put in hand to respond to the outbreaks," said the press release.

Last week, H5N1 avian influenza cases were founded in Turkey and Romania, triggering alarm across the EU. On Monday, a bird flu case was discovered in Greece, signaling first bird flu case in the 25-member bloc.

(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2005)