Britain takes over EU presidency

As Britain takes over the rotating presidency of the European Union for the next six months, the Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook, set out two priorities.

He said he wanted a flying start to the accession negotiations with potential new members, due to begin at the end of March; and he wanted to give the European single currency the best possible chance of succeeding.

EU members are due to decide which countries will take part in launching the single currency in nineteen-ninety-nine later this year.Britain intends to remain outside the first phase of the single currency.

But Mr Cook said he didn't want to see the the single currency start and then fail.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service