Spanish and French Prime Ministers in Barcelona summit
The Prime Ministers of Spain and France are to meet today to discuss European and cross-border issues including the thorny topic of illegal immigration.
Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and his French counterpart, Dominique de Villepin, are due to be accompanied by ministers of foreign affairs, industry and health as well as leaders from bordering regions.
Regional leaders Pasqual Maragall from Catalonia; Jose Ibarretxe from the Basque Country; Marcelino Iglesias from Aragon and Miguel Sanz from Navarra are set to meet their counterparts from Aquitaine, Midi-Pyrenees and Languedoc-Roussillon.
Among the issues likely to be discussed by the Prime Ministers are European Union policy in the wake of the French and Dutch “no” votes to the European Constitution as well how to deal with immigration. Regional cross-border cooperation in the areas of health services – such as joint use of hospitals - energy and communications are also on the agenda.
