Nova Gorica (Slovenia): The outgoing and incoming presidents of the European Union gathered here today for a special ceremony at which Slovenia passed on the baton of the EU presidency to France.

Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel met with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner at a ceremony held on a square that symbolised Slovenia 's accession to the 27-nation bloc four years ago.

Back then, the square was created by demolishing a fence that had divided two parts of the same metropolitan area - Slovenian Nova Gorica and Italian Gorizia - since the end of World War II.

Ljubljana was leaving to France the union in "rather good shape," Rupel told Kouchner.

"You say it s in good shape ... Well, yes, let's rather say it is in average shape," the Frenchman retorted.

The EU has been plunged into crisis after Ireland rejected earlier the so-called Lisbon Treaty, designed to streamline EU decision-making following enlargement of the bloc to 27 members.

Slovenia was the first eastern European state to hold the EU s six-month rotating presidency.

The official handover falls at midnight (2300 GMT) and, symbolically, Rupel presented Kouchner with a relay baton and an EU flag.

The French minister praised the verve with which Slovenia had served its term.

France hoped to be able to show the same "enthusiasm, self-confidence and true devotion" to moving the EU forward, Kouchner said.

Rupel thanked France for the assistance it provided to Slovenia over the past six months.

Source : PTI