October 15, 2001	Monday	Rajab 27, 1422

BRUSSELS, Oct 14: Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said on Sunday he would ask EU leaders this week to consider whether US strikes against Afghanistan were “targeted” — a requirement demanded by the European Union.

“My objective is to make a first evaluation of the situation, meaning, what is happening now, is it still in accordance with the decisions the European Union took on the 21st of September?” said Verhofstadt, whose country holds the European Union presidency.

“We said on the 21st of September that the US could legitimately retaliate, but it had to be targeted,” he told Flemish VRT television.

In a later television interview, Verhofstadt said: “Personally for me, up until now there are very few or no reasons to say, yes, one has exceeded the mandate we set.”

European leaders meet for an informal summit in Ghent on Friday.

US warplanes have pounded Afghanistan in a campaign designed to force the ruling Taliban to hand over Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants blamed for the attacks on New York and Washington.

At an emergency summit on September 21, the leaders of the 15 European Union nations gave strong support to the United States following the September 11 attacks.

At the time, Verhofstadt told reporters that the EU was in total solidarity with the United States and that it had a right to respond, directing its actions against states which help, support or shelter terrorists. —Reuters