DUBLIN, May 1 (Xinhuanet) -- The 15-nation European Union (EU) on Saturday formally welcomed 10 new members as Ireland that is holding the rotating EU presidency hosted a special flag-raising ceremony at the presidential residence in northwest of Dublin.

¡¡¡¡Irish President Mary McAleese and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern presided over the ceremony.

    Leaders of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia sat side by side with heads of state and government of the existing 15 EU members, which gathered to celebrate the biggest expansion in EU history.

    Also attending the ceremony were leaders of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, as well as some senior EU officials including European Parliament President Pat Cox and European Commission President Romano Prodi. Enditem