EU leaders have concluded theirtwo-day summit dedicated to economic reforms, relations with Russiaand the crisis in Macedonia, diplomatic sources said.
They finished their work shortly before 1100 GMT afteradopting the summit's final communiqué that reasserted the EuropeanUnion's goal to become the world's top knowledge-based economy by2010.
The leaders also reaffirmed their support for Macedonia in itsconflict with ethnic Albanian rebels, and expressed solidarity withEuropean farmers affected by foot-and-mouth and mad cow disease.
But a European source said the summit conclusions failed toinclude a proposed 2005 deadline for the liberalization of theelectricity sector throughout the EU, following resistance fromFrance.
Day one of the Swedish EU presidency's first mid-term economicsummit was overshadowed by the fighting in the Balkan state, on topof bleak news that the foot-and-mouth epidemic on British farms isby no means over.
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Swedish Foreign Minister Ms Anna Lindh said the final summitcommunique will include a "strong message" aimed at supportingMacedonia on the political, economic and security fronts.
The 15 heads of state and government discussed thestate of Russia's economic reforms with its President VladimirPutin, then met Macedonian leader Mr Boris Trajkovski.
Mr Putin startled his hosts when he drew parallels between theMacedonian conflict, which is still being waged at a localized level, andRussia's far bigger war in Chechnya.
"I would like to call those are attacking Macedonia terrorists,not rebels," he said. "Things should be called by theirown names."
Mr Trajkovski ruled out any negotiations with the "terrorists" ofthe National Liberation Army (NLA), which says it is fighting forbetter rights for Macedonia's ethnic Albanian minority.
British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair meanwhile got encouragingwords of support from his EU colleagues in his nation's own waragainst the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.
Thirty-one days after its first confirmed case, Mr Blair said thenumber of British farms with livestock infected by the highlycontagious and financially devastating virus had hit 514 - with noimmediate end in sight.
"It's going to be a long haul," he said, though France andFinland responded immediately to his appeal for EU partners todispatch veterinarians to assist the overstretched British animalhealth services.
AFP