Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The Swedish Presidency has been in contact with me. I have spoken to the Swedish Prime Minister in regard to this matter. He is engaged in his first round of consultation with Heads of Government. I indicated to him our position in regard to the matter. We await to see what he gauges to be the situation having spoken to everybody, I presume, on a bilateral and confidential basis. He will then be able to inform us of his view on the level of support for various candidates mentioned and take it from there. That he set a European Council meeting for tomorrow week this morning would indicate to me that further rounds of consultation will take place between now and then.

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