Jacques Santer of Luxemburg, President of the European Commission, reads documents with his cabinet head Jim Close (C) and Carlo Trojan (R) General Secretary of the Commission, before the start of the commision's meeting January 13. More than 100 European Parliament deputies withdrew support for moves to sack the EU executive over alleged fraud and favourtism. Santer had earlier threatened to resign from hs post if the parliament went ahead on Thursday with a vote to sack his 20-seat team. vk/Photo by Vincent A.

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