The Farmers Association has welcomed the delay in the resumption of EU negotiations on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. The talks, which broke down early on Friday, were due to resume tomorrow.
However, they have now been deferred until Thursday, after disagreement between France and Germany over the proposals. IFA president Tom Parlon said the postponement was a victory for France, and German tactics of steam-rolling France and Ireland had backfired.
The French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin said earlier that he wants the stalled negotiations on European Union farm reform to resume on a fresh basis. He was speaking to reporters after meeting with European Commission President Jacques Santer.
Mr. Santer said that any such move would depend on Germany, which holds the rotating EU presidency. A new round of EU farm talks is expected to resume tomorrow. The French Farm Minister, Jean Glavany, said that he would like the new round of farm talks to be postponed for a week or two to avoid a repeat of the stalemate in the talks last week in Brussels.
