EU promises $233 million in recontruction

LUXEMBOURG -- The European Union approved $233 million in reconstruction aid for Iraq on Monday, with Britain the only EU nation for now to provide additional funding from its national budget.\nBritain said it would donate $439 million from its budget in 2004 and 2005, officials said, while the EU money would be spent in the next 14 months.\nThe United States has appealed for help with the costs of rebuilding Iraq. But the EU has been reluctant to become a major donor as some members, primarily France and Germany, disagree with Washington's policies in Iraq.\nThe EU contribution of $233 million is slightly more than 1 percent of the $20 billion the Bush administration has asked Congress to set aside for reconstruction in Iraq. Even that came with conditions. \nThe EU foreign ministers stressed the need for a "realistic schedule for handing over political responsibility to the Iraqi people." Their statement also said the United Nations must play "a strong and vital role" in Iraq's reconstruction