Brussels, 23/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - In the opinion of Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore, 2013 is likely to be a year full of events in terms of enlargement, and he stated that enlargement is an important subject for the Irish Presidency. Recalling that in 2004 ten new member states joined the EU during Ireland's presidency, and that Dublin has always supported enlargement, he added that in 2013 they would continue to give priority to credible enlargement based on conditionality.
Presenting the Presidency's priorities to the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee on 22 January, Gilmore came over as very ambitious. He said that his country wants chapters to be opened with Montenegro, Iceland and Turkey. He hoped “to open one or even two chapters” with Montenegro under his presidency, but he did not think that the chapters on the judicial apparatus and fundamental rights (23) and on justice, freedom and security (24) would be opened before the end of June. Stating that Iceland's decision to slow negotiations down due to its upcoming elections harms and slightly restrains ambitions, Gilmore nonetheless added that he would like two chapters to be opened, and three others closed under the Irish Presidency. He also wanted at least one chapter to be opened with Turkey - an opening that will depend on the good will of all the parties.
Recognising that the agenda is “ambitious”, Gilmore added that the decisions of the General Affairs Council in December (see EUROPE 10750) will perhaps enable decisions on the opening of negotiations with Serbia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, on the agreement with Kosovo (on which he hopes progress will be made), and perhaps on candidate status for Albania. Gilmore added that Ireland supports the Bosnia-Herzegovina's European outlook, even if there is no decision to take. (CG/transl.fl)