Annan, Special Guest of December 17

A diplomatic source said yesterday that the EU invited Annan to demonstrate its support for him after a US Senator, Norman Coleman, demanded his resignation because of corruption allegations stemming from the UN sponsored "Food for Oil" program in Iraq.

Meanwhile, while meeting with the German Foreign Minister, Joshcka Fisher, in Berlin yesterday, Belgium Foreign Minister Carel de Gucht said, "We told Turkey before that you would be a member provided that you fulfilled the criterion. Thus, since the report of EU Commission is positive we should keep our promise."