Brussels, 11/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - Once again, a very full agenda awaits the foreign ministers for the General Affairs and Foreign Affairs Councils to be held on Monday 14 June in Luxembourg under the chairmanship of Catherine Ashton and Angel Miguel Moratinos respectively. Several separate meetings will take place on the sidelines: - EU/Gulf Cooperation Council meeting; - Association Council with Montenegro; - EU/ECOWAS ministerial meeting; - Cooperation Council with Algeria; - Association Council with Lebanon; - Cooperation Council with Ukraine; - and Cooperation Council with Moldova.
The day's business will start at 8.30am with a meeting of development ministers who will, in particular, adopt the EU common position on revision of the Millenium Development Goals, with a view to the United Nations summit on 20-22 September in New York.
From 11.00am, foreign ministers will cover the following issues:
Gaza blockade. Following the deadly Israeli operation on the humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza, the EU has called for an impartial investigation into the incident as well as the “immediate, sustained and unconditional” lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip, in order to be able to carry humanitarian aid and allow the movement of goods and people to and from Gaza. On Monday, ministers will discuss how the EU may contribute to facilitating lifting the embargo. “Several ideas are already doing the rounds but there are no concrete projects on the table as yet”, circles close to Catherine Ashton said on Friday. Initial work at the Political and Security Committee (PSC) this week showed that there is already a “general consensus” between the EU27 on the main elements for a European approach, diplomats explain. For example, they agree to say that the current “positive list” of goods authorised by Israel to enter the Gaza Strip (anything not on this list cannot enter) should be changed into a “negative list”, which would only include banned goods and which would therefore authorise entry of all other products needed so badly by the population of Gaza. Secondly, the EU is ready to take part in controlling the flow of goods by sea or land (as it did, successfully, in the past at the Rafah border crossing point). Details, however, remain to be defined. One thing is certain - this EU initiative should come within a “broader international framework involving not only Quartet countries but also countries of the region”, diplomats say. Despite this, they add, a possible EU surveillance and control mission could be deployed very speedily.
Western Balkans. The Council will hold an exchange of views with ICTY General Prosecutor Serge Brammertz and discuss the general situation in the Balkans. Several sources (including the Belgian ambassador to the EU, Jean De Ruyt - see related item) said on Friday that the Council may give its go-ahead on Monday to ratification of the stabilisation and association agreement (SAA), which has been blocked by the Netherlands for a long time now.
Iran. Ministers will take stock of the problem relating to Iran's nuclear programme after the adoption this week of the new UN Security Council resolution strengthening sanctions against Tehran. The European Council of 17 June is expected to invite the Council to take the necessary measures for implementing the UN resolution, while specifying areas in which the EU is to introduce further sanctions.
Somalia. In the company of the outgoing commander for the EUNAVFOR Atalanta operation, Peter Hudson, ministers will discuss the fight against piracy off the coast of Somalia. They are also expected to extend the duration of the naval mission until December 2012.
Cuba. Under “miscellaneous” and as part of the annual reassessment of the EU common position on Cuba, the Council will hold an exchange of views on the future of relations with Havana.
GENERAL AFFAIRS
From 3.00pm, the General Affairs Council will take stock of preparations for the European Council of 17 June. It will also be briefed on the state of progress of work on the European External Action Service (EEAS). The EU27 are expected to reach a political agreement on the “general approach” to be followed on the proposal for a regulation for implementation of the citizens' initiative. Pending the European Parliament's vote (first reading), member states agree to remove, in the preparatory stage of the citizens' initiative, the obligation of collecting 300,000 signatures before the subject of the initiative may be assessed by the Commission. (H.B./transl.jl)