Brussels, 21/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - With regard to external relations, the General Affairs Council that Jamie Gama will Preside over, on Monday, has a substantial agenda. It will be dominated by the Member States lunch with Yasser Arafat, but the most important discussions should relate to the issue of Russia/Chechnya and the situation on the former Yugoslavia. Hear is an overview:
- Middle East. Mr Gama and the High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana will make a report on their recent (16-18 January) trip to the region with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Arafat; on this occasion the problem of the good management of European aid to the Palestinians should once more be lifted.
- Russia. This dossier will be broached by two different points of view: a) The internal political situation. In anticipation of the elections planned for next March 26, the GAC should underline the importance it attaches to the holding of a free and democratic election; b) The situation in Chechnya should be the object of a Declaration in the line with those before. No decision is expected in terms of sanctions (see yesterday's EUROPE page. 7), even if the Commission should submit certain ideas (though it recalls that the Helsinki summit pushed in favour of a strict application of the trade agreements "which does not mean sanctions".
- Turkey. The Portuguese Minister for the European Affairs Seixas da Costa (and, without doubt, the Foreign Affairs Minister George Papandreou) will brief on his recent trip to the candidate country. The Commission should give indications on the way in which it conceives a Partnership for adhesion, the co-ordination of pre-adhesion aid and the opening of the screening process.
- Balkans. The Council will evaluate the situation in: - FRY/Serbia. It should congratulate itself on the agreement reached by the opposition democratic forces and assure them of EU support. It could also encourage the Commission to prepare a geographic enlargement of the "Energy against democracy" programme." Finally it re-examines the possibility of lifting the oil embargo and that on commercial flights, which should confirm that the Member States remain divided over the question; - FRY/Montenegro. The GAC will invite the Commission to present it with concrete proposals in view of facing the most urgent needs of this country whose democratically elected authorities the EU supports; - Kosovo. Solana will report on Friday's visit to Pristina. The question of persistent violence against the Serbs and the threats made by organised crime will also be raise; - Danube. The Council will confirm that the responsibility to re-establish the free movement of the river is the FRY responsibility, but that it is considering a contribution; - Bosnia-Herzegovina. The GAC invites the parties to implement last December 15th New York declaration; - Albania. The eventual negotiation of a Stability and Partnership Agreement will be examined in the light of a Commission study. The Member States should encourage the Albanian authorities to make the necessary efforts to facilitate this development; - Arym. Without debate, the GAC will adopt negotiation Directives in view to the finalising of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (which will be the first in the region). The negotiations could start in March; - Aid to South-Eastern Europe. The Council will take note of the Commission's ideas in terms of; - Croatia. In light of the recent elections the GAC should agree to implement the advisory "Task Force" responsible for preparing the terrain for new relations between the EU and this country in the framework of the Stabilisation and Association process (but it should also underline that further political and economic reforms are required). Finally it could invite the Croatian foreign Minister to Brussels during the February 14 session.
- Venezuela. The Member State expressed their sympathy and solidarity with the victims of the floods by inviting the Commission and the Member States to continue the efforts in view of helping the affected population and contribute to the rehabilitation/reconstruction of the areas most affected.
Under "various" the Member States will discuss: - the political role of the EU in Africa, especially in the region of the Great lakes, on request from the Netherlands; - the situation in Indonesia (information from the Dutch Minister, who has just returned: see following page for the EP's position); - the security of tankers issue that will be raised by the German Minister Joschka Fischer.
