Prime Minister Costas Simitis addresses the European Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday to present the priorities of the Greek presidency that started on January 1. He said EU foreign ministers would try to establish a common policy on Iraq on January 27, when UN weapons inspectors are due to announce their findings in Iraq. ‘January 27 is not a final date,’ he said.

STRASBOURG (Reuters) - EU president Greece appealed yesterday for European unity over Iraq, saying only this would ensure that the 15-nation bloc had influence in helping to end the crisis.

Opinion in the European Union varies widely on how to handle Iraq, with Britain strongly backing US threats to disarm President Saddam Hussein by force if necessary and others, notably Germany, opposing military action.

“We have to be able to move away from old habits where different countries speak in different ways with different objectives,” Prime Minister Costas Simitis told a session of the European Parliament in the French city of Strasbourg.

“Maintaining international stability, removing the threat of weapons of mass destruction and ensuring peace are things we all strive toward. We have to have a clear, common policy among all the countries of the European Union on this,” he said.

EU foreign ministers will try to forge a common policy on Iraq at their next meeting on January 27, Simitis added.