Asselborn cancels Polish meeting due to bee sting

(ADW) Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Jean Asselborn, missed an important meeting in Sopot, Poland, last Thursday. To blame; a nasty bee sting the same morning. Asselborn however is now ready to take his annual holiday riding by bike to the south of France.

Jean Asselborn's life is a hive of activity. If there's one Luxembourg politician that leads a hectic and busy life, between planes and appointments at every corner of the planet, it's him. Last week he began in New York, with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and the General Assembly, before returning Wednesday, wishing to start a little bike ride, his hobby for many years.

After three kilometres, disaster struck. Asselborn was stung by a bee causing him to return home where he began experiencing difficulty breathing. Eventually he called the emergency services and was taken to the Zitha Clinic in Luxembourg City where he remained under observation a few hours after treatment with cortisone.

Contrary to some reports in the press, he was never in any danger.

Asselborn's scheduled trip to Sopot in Poland, where an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers took place to discuss the future of EU finances, was cancelled.

The minister's health has improved and he is now ready to finally take his annual holiday, a cycling holiday from Schengen, making a "bee line" to the South of France. No doubt he will be proudly wearing the Schleck brothers' Leopard Trek jersey during his long ride.