European Union foreign ministers will urge partner countries to clamp down on terrorism or see their relations with the bloc suffer when they meet today in the wake of the Madrid train bombings.
The EU intends to monitor efforts by all countries to defeat what it defines as terrorism and will adjust its relations accordingly, a draft statement prepared for discussion by ministers in Brussels today says.
"This will be an influencing factor in EU relations with them," it said.
Today's meeting of foreign ministers follows an emergency session of EU interior and justice ministers on Friday to better co-ordinate the gathering and sharing of intelligence among EU members in the wake of the Madrid attacks which killed 202 and left more than 1,800 injured.
The draft declaration, expected to be approved by EU leaders meeting on Thursday and Friday, says the bloc should develop strategies to help vulnerable countries boost counter-terrorism and insist that features in all EU talks with its partners.
"The European Union will analyse and evaluate the commitment of countries to combat terrorism. . . . This will be an influencing factor in EU relations with them," the draft reads.
Foreign ministers will also discuss the bloc's Wider Middle East policy, which it sees as differing from the Greater Middle East policy recently unveiled by the Bush administration.