Schroeder issues EU rallying cry

Preparations are under way for the summit in Ghent

Germany's Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, has called on European nations to band together within the framework of the EU to fight global terrorism.

Only if we put in place common policing and judicial resources can we ensure that there will be no hideouts for terrorists and other criminals in the European Union

Gerhard Schroeder

In a speech to the German parliament ahead of Friday's EU summit in Ghent Mr Schroeder said: "We are ready to make Europe into an international player with global influence".

The informal summit was supposed to focus on the launch of the euro and the EU's eastwards enlargement but will now be dominated by the US bombing campaign in Afghanistan and EU counter-terrorism proposals.

German, French and British leaders will meet separately ahead of the EU meeting to discuss their positions on the war on terror.

Inner strength

Mr Schroeder said that in the face of the terrorist threat the EU should increase the pace of integration.

"The diplomatic activities of the European Union and its member states must join together to form a conclusive foreign and security policy," he said.

Schroeder outlined a vision of a strong, federalist Europe in a speech in May

He added: "Only if we put in place common policing and judicial resources can we ensure that there will be no hideouts for terrorists and other criminals in the European Union."

One of the proposals agreed in the wake of the 11 September attacks was a Europe-wide arrest warrant designed to speed up the detention and extradition of suspected terrorists.

The chancellor's comments reinforce the vision of Europe he outlined in May which would give the EU a stronger role in world affairs and increase the powers of the EU's central institutions.

Italian outrage

But Mr Schroeder's integrationist message may be overshadowed in Ghent by an ongoing squabble between Italy and Belgium.

Renato Ruggiero refused to shake Louis Michel's hand

Italy has called for an explanation from Belgium after the Belgian Foreign Minister, Louis Michel, ranked Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on a level with the Taleban regime in Afghanistan.

In comments on a Belgian TV show Mr Michel gave Mr Berlusconi a mark of zero out of 10 for his performance in response to the 11 September attacks.

Mr Michel has also criticised Mr Berlusconi for his comments suggesting that western civilisation was superior to Islam.

Italian Foreign Minister Renato Ruggiero - who refused on Wednesday to shake hands with Mr Michel - has said the incident is not yet over and has demanded an explanation from Belgium's Prime Minster, Guy Verhofstadt.

Original agenda

But as the summit's host and current president of the EU, Belgium is keen to press on with at least some of the original agenda planned for Ghent.

With the launch of the single currency imminent, the head of the European Central Bank, Wim Duisenberg, will brief the leaders of the 15 member states on the final preparations for the launch of the euro.

The progress of the 12 candidate countries towards EU membership will also be under review, as will the EU's own preparations to carry out reforms to deal with an enlarged union.

Some of those were set out in the Nice Treaty - approved by Germany's lower house of parliament on Thursday - but Belgium hopes to initiate a more comprehensive shake-up in the Laeken declaration planned for the end of its presidency in December.