each agreement about a package of support measures for Iraq in the short term. We presented this package to the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mr Allawi, who we had invited especially for the occasion, during a lunch meeting on 5 November. Moreover, we then offered Iraq scope for cooperation and dialogue for the long term. Mr Allawi thanked us for the support for the Iraqi reconstruction process. In this process, the elections play an important role. I therefore set great store by Prime Minister Allawi’s communication that, despite persistent security problems, these elections will be taking place in January at the latest.
Our meeting with Mr Allawi and the aid package we presented to him demonstrate that the European Union is willing and able to play a greater role in granting concrete support to the political and economic reconstruction process in Iraq. Moreover, a similar signal of unanimity has been given within the Union with regard to Iraq.
A second item of external policy on which the European Council expressed a view is Iran. Let there be no mistake: we want complete and permanent suspension of all enrichment and improvement activities by Iran on a voluntary basis. Only then can the European Union offer Iran a prospect of discussions about long-term cooperation which will benefit both the European Union and Iran. Although the agreement that was reached with Teheran at the weekend is a step in the right direction, we should satisfy ourselves first that the suspension by the International Atomic Energy Agency can be determined promptly. If that attempt fails too, then we seem to have no choice but to resort to the UN Security Council.
This brings me to the Middle East, where there seems to be another window of opportunity for the peace process. It is to be hoped that the Israeli decision to withdraw from the Gaza Strip will offer a new opportunity for carrying out the roadmap. The European Council has tried to cash in on this. At the proposal of Javier Solana, we have now drawn up a short-term action programme to 