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FM honours Scottish war dead at Passchendaele
12/07/2007
First Minister Alex Salmond is in Belgium today to attend the commemorations marking the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele. The Battle in 1917 saw heavy loss of life with Scottish casualties among the highest.
Following the ceremony at Tyne Cot CemeteryCemetry Mr Salmond will lay a wreath at the Menin Gate, Ypres.
First Minister Alex Salmond said:
"No family in Scotland was untouched and no community unaffected by the loss of so many young soldiers who died in 1917. The carnage of Passchendaele is a poignant reminder of why the European institutions were established, to build lasting peace and prosperity in our continent."
Earlier in the day the First Minister held meetings with four senior European Commissioners, with responsibilities for Fisheries, Trade, Budget and the Internal Market, laying the groundwork for strengthening Scotland's role in Europe.
View images taken at the meetings
Following his meetings the First Minister said:
"Meeting with the Commissioners today on my first visit to Brussels since becoming First Minister has proved to be highly productive. Our discussions have helped raise Scotland's profile within the Commission and registered Scotland's key areas of interest. This is the beginning of what I believe will be the strengthening of Scotland's role in Europe.
"Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson provided a useful update on the World Trade round and the progress towards agreement. We also had useful discussions on the necessity to continue protecting the Scottish salmon industry against salmon dumping and the measures required.
"My discussions with Budget Commissioner Dalia Grybauskaite gave us a real opportunity to get Scotland ahead of the game by actually influencing the decision makers early on in the budget process and influence their thinking.
"Charlie McCreevy the Internal Market Commissioner showed great interest and knowledge of Scotland's highly successful Financial Services industry and we had an interesting discussion on the particular Scottish strengths in the sector.
"Meeting the Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg gave me the opportunity to show that the Scottish Government is determined to do more to protect the interests of Scotland's fishing industry. With the change in administration has come a change in priorities. We agreed there were ways we could cooperate to mitigate some of the adverse effects fisheries policy has on the Scottish fishing industry. Increased direct communication between the Scottish fishing industry, the Scottish Government and decision makers here in Brussels will ensure that the concerns of our fishing industry are heard. Such direct engagement with those in the industry is essential to produce ideas which will work."