Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) just wrapped up a press call to discuss new principals related to openness and technological interoperability. It promised in its initial announcement that there would be no talk of its Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO) bid and it implored call participants not to bother bringing it up. The call was actually delayed several minutes, do to the volume of callers—I’m guessing, that many like myself were there listening for any Yahoo-related snip, but there really was none. The basic statement of what the company is up to can be found in the release.

It looks like this announcement is in part a message to the European Commission, which continues to press the company on related issues. For its part, the EC seems underwhelmed: “The European Commission takes note of today’s announcement by Microsoft of its intention to commit to a number of principles in order to promote interoperability with some of its high market share software products. This announcement does not relate to the question of whether or not Microsoft has been complying with EU antitrust rules in this area in the past. The Commission would welcome any move towards genuine interoperability. Nonetheless, the Commission notes that today’s announcement follows at least four similar statements by Microsoft in the past on the importance of interoperability.”