EU heads meet amid tight security

EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Antonio Vitorino (right) talks with German Interior MInister Otto Schily

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- A summit of EU leaders to show solidarity with the U.S. in the war against terrorism is being held in Brussels under unprecedented security.

The meeting was underlining support for the U.S., with summit host Guy Verhofstadt, the prime minister of Belgium, saying the 15 leaders would bring together their different anti-terrorism policies and make them "global and durable."

Prime Minister Goeran Persson of Sweden also demonstrated backing for the U.S. before the meeting, saying: "Solidarity, that is important, that we stand united for democracy and open society.

"We have a very strong mandate to take military action and if the United States does so, they have our support."

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The EU quarter of Brussels was sealed off and metro stations near the summit venue shut from noon on Friday -- even though the meeting did not begin until Friday night.

Security teams began preparing the EU's Council of Ministers building for the summit as soon as a meeting of justice and home affairs ministers finished on Thursday afternoon.

The focus is likely to be on British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has taken the lead in rallying support behind U.S. plans to hit back at global terrorists after last week's atrocities.

Blair arrived at the summit direct from Washington where he met U.S. President George W. Bush to be briefed on the latest U.S. anti-terrorism blueprint.

The summit was called largely as a high-profile demonstration of European solidarity with the American people and President Bush.

The decision to meet followed a hectic round of consultations between Verhofstadt -- currently in the EU presidency and therefore chairing the summit -- and the fourteen other EU governments.

The only agenda item at the summit is the counter-terrorism campaign, and the gathering was "taking stock of the international situation" EU officials say.

Blair, French President Jacques Chirac and an EU team headed by Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel were to report on their visits to Washington.

Blair said he expected the summit to yield "a very strong and clear declaration of our support and solidarity for the United States and secondly a series of specific measures we will take -- both European and national."

But European Parliament President Nicole Fontaine said that while Europeans supported the U.S., they hoped President Bush would "be careful to avoid a response which is excessively unilateral, or which is seen as such."

The meeting came as it was announced that NATO has cancelled a meeting of defence ministers' due to take place next Wednesday and Thursday in Naples, Italy.

NATO Secretary-General George Robertson said in a statement that he and his staff could not afford to be away from alliance headquarters while handling "crisis management responsiblities" following the attacks on the U.S.

On Thursday the EU approved tough new anti-terrorist measures in the wake of the attacks on New York and Washington.

EU justice and home affairs ministers approved a total of 37 proposals intended to stop terrorist groups from operating in the EU and to strengthen police and justice cooperation with the United States.

They also agreed to close legal loopholes that allow terror suspects to evade arrest.

The new measures are expected to come into force January 1 after ratification by the EU's 15 member parliaments.

Key provisions include a European search and arrest warrant, which will mean suspects sought for terrorism in one EU state will be pursued by police in all 15, and streamlined extradition procedures so suspects will automatically be handed over to the country where they are wanted.