EU, Jews hug and make up

The President of the European Commission and the chairman of the World Jewish Congress buried bitter differences yesterday in a highly theatrical meeting of hugs and laughter, vowing to work for a better Europe.

But Israel Singer made no public apology to Romano Prodi for an inflammatory newspaper article co-authored by the presidents of the World Jewish Congress and the European Jewish Congress, which had accused the Commission of anti-Semitism.

The article, which outraged the Commission when it appeared in the Financial Times on Monday, had led to heated exchanges between Jewish groups worldwide as well as the Commission, with the Israeli embassy to the EU weighing in on Wednesday to support Mr Prodi and attempt to cool tempers.

Mr Prodi told a joint news conference after "very friendly and fruitful" talks with Mr Singer that he had agreed to revive plans for a seminar on fighting anti-Semitism in Europe.

He had frozen preparations for the seminar as soon as the article appeared. Mr Singer then praised Mr Prodi handsomely.

"I want you to know that there is a man in whom we trust to be able to take this concept of mutual cooperation with regard... for security of minorities and particularly Jews in Europe - it's President Prodi," he said.

But he dodged a question on why Edgar M. Bronfman and Cobi Benatoff had written the article in the first place.

"Let's deal with the problem, not the letter. There's a problem in Europe, that problem has to be addressed," he said, referring to what some see as a growing tide of anti-Semitism.

"We're looking at this problem prospectively. Romano Prodi and his colleagues are going to address this problem frontally."

The two men, who had not been scheduled to make a public appearance, hugged warmly after exchanging praises and flattery, and Mr Prodi teased his visitor when Mr Singer spoke of the security all citizens of the European Union should feel.