EU's big five meet on terrorism, crime

GRENADA, Spain - Interior ministers from the European Union's five biggest powers on Monday began a meeting here devoted to the fight against terrorism and the fight against organised crime in the 25-nation bloc.
"The Grenada meeting is an important step in cooperation which will lead us to a more united Europe, stronger and tougher," Spanish Interior Minister Jose Antonio Alonso told reporters.
During the informal quarterly meeting taking place inside the Alhambra palace in the southern Spanish city, the ministers from the EU's five biggest countries -- Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, are expected to sign a declaration on the fight against terrorism and organised crime, a source from the Spanish government said.
Meetings of the EU's five biggest powers do not take decisions, but the directions they take do influence decisions by the EU as a whole.

03/14/2005 17:58 GMT