Date of release : 08-02-2005

Policy area : Justice and Home Affairs Justice and Home Affairs

Hours after being sworn in as the new Attorney General of the United States of America, Alberto Gonzales received Luc Frieden, Minister of Justice and President in Office of the European Justice ministers, as his first foreign guest in Washington on Friday, 4 February .

During their exchange of views, the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General underlined the importance of relations between the EU and the United States of America in the fight against organised crime and international terrorism and they expressed their firm intention to work closely together in order to reinforce the transatlantic cooperation in the area of Justice during the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Alberto Gonzales officially took office as the 80th Attorney General of the United States of America on Thursday evening.