EU ministers in show of unity over Georgia conflict

(AVIGNON) - EU foreign ministers travelled from Paris to Avignon aboard a special high-speed train decked out in European colours in a show of unity over the Georgia crisis.

The display of solidarity was spoilt slightly when German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier missed the TGV (Train Grand Vitesse) which departed with great fanfare from the station at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport.

Also missing was his Italian counterpart Franco Frattini, who declined to take the train, and Denmark's Per Stig Moller who skipped the informal talks.

However the other 24 of the EU's 27 ministers piled on, along with accompanying journalists, at the invitation of their host French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

"Unity is not a question," said Kouchner, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency.

"But the problems that face us are serious problems. The more we talk the more we will come up with solutions."

"We will continue this weekend to prepare matters" ahead of a crucial meeting in Moscow on Monday between Sarkozy and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said.

At an EU summit on Monday, European leaders froze talks on a new strategic pact with Moscow and said they would review all ties following Russia's refusal to pull its troops out of Georgia following fighting there last month.

The start of that review will be a key part of the two days of EU talks in Avignon ahead of Sarkozy's trip.

"It's Europe that is seeking high speed," quipped Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel-Angel Moratinos.

At Monday's meeting between Sarkozy and Medvedev, the French president will again call on Russia to withdraw its troops in Georgia to the positions they held before the conflict broke out on August 7.

That meeting will be another manifestation of EU unity and the opportunity to deliver "a clear message to the Russia Federation of its wish to establish relations based on solid and mutual respect," said Moratinos.

At 11:02 am (0902 GMT), the train got underway and a voice came over the loudspeaker saying: "Ministers, madame European commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, in the name of the French presidency of the European Union I wish you a pleasant journey".

Three carriages took the ministers and their wives, with Kouchner sitting with his Czech counterpart Karel Schwarzenberg and Sweden's Carl Bildt, representing the present and future EU presidencies.

Elsewhere Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, president of the OSCE, sat with British counterpart David Miliband discussing the deployment of EU observers in Georgia.

"We aren't making decisions here, we are creating a consensus," said one European diplomat. "It's a kind of 'team-building'."

The sound of champagne corks popping could also be heard and the ministers were offered "veal cooked two different ways" with summer vegetables, courtesy of real ovens which replaced the TGV trains normal microwave versions.

The TGV-Atlantique will maintain its European livery until the end of the French EU presidency in December.

Then the EU train will become a thing of the past, though the leaders will be hoping the unity remains.

Foreign Ministers' Meeting - Gymnich