Following the informal meeting with Mr Rafic HARIRI, the
Prime Minister of Lebanon, the Council reaffirmed that the EU was willing to
help with the reconstruction of that country. In this context it had
entrusted its competent bodies with preparing a response to the recent
approach made by the United States
concerning the consultative group for the reconstruction of Lebanon
together with the arrangements for a conference that might be held with the
same objective in mind. The Council took note of the presidency report on the
recent visits that the Troika had made to Cairo,
Amman and Beirut and of the very strong desire
expressed by those met during this trip for a greater European role in the
peace process. With a view to the forthcoming discussions to be held at the
Florence European Council on the subject of the peace process in the Middle
East, the Council had asked its various departments to examine the line of
action to be followed by the European Union and to report back in time for
its next meeting on 10 and 11 June.