SECRETARY-GENERAL, ITALIAN PREMIER SIGN DECLARATION ON UN-EU COOPERATION

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

This afternoon, The Secretary-General signed with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, representing the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, a Joint Declaration on United Nations-European Union cooperation in crisis management.  He is delighted to do so, and hopes that this step will lead to even closer cooperation between the two organizations in both military and civilian areas of crisis management.  The Secretary-General is particularly pleased that the Declaration outlines specific areas where practical cooperation can advance, such as training, planning, communications and “lessons learnt”.

* *** *