Brussels, 20/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - Before meeting in the afternoon with the Defence Minister (who had deliberated during the morning on pledges to contribute military capabilities from each Member State: see pages 3/4), the General Affairs Council (GAC) on Monday morning and during lunch discussed the following issues:
- Western Balkans. According to Council President Hubert Védrine, an overall agreement was reached on the issues addressed by ministers in preparation for the Zagreb Summit on 24 November.
- Enlargement of the EU. With a view to the European Council of Nice, the GAC held a policy debate on the basis of the strategy put forward by the European Commission. Mr Védrine considers the latter accomplished "work of top quality, which was welcomed by all delegations" (he specified that its "indicative timetable" would be a "reference framework"). The Council president did not refer to the debates set out by the four-point Presidency questionnaire. EUROPE, however, has reason to believe that all the delegations gave positive responses. During the same round the table discussion, the ministers spoke of the question of visas imposed by the EU on nationals from Bulgaria and Romania. They decided to urge the JHA Council (meeting on 30 November) to decide in favour of an intermediary solution that would consist of decreeing the lifting of this obligation subject to progress, verified on the basis of a questionnaire from the European Commission.
- Partnership with Turkey. Hubert Védrine discreetly pointed out that the issue would be taken up by the GAC early December, which is a diplomatic way of admitting that there are problems between the Fifteen on which attitude should be adopted.
- Statute of MEPs. French Minister for European Affairs Pierre Moscovici reported on his recent meetings with the EP, stating that "considerable political and technical work" had been accomplished. He stressed the Council's determination to reach an agreement under French Presidency (an agreement, in his view, "has never been this close"), four or five issues remaining "tricky". In this respect, he pointed out that the Presidency was willing to make concessions regarding retirement, but that the costs entailed by MEPs should be checked and that the Council remained "divided" over the matter of taxation (national or European). The most difficult issue, however, remains linked to the amount of allowances, the GAC having restated, according to Mr Moscovici, its preference for an "average" of what currently prevails, between EUR 7,200 and 7,400. According to the French Minister, the Fifteen are calling on the EP to "understand the wish for equality of effort by citizens expressing themselves through the GAC".
- ESDP. During lunch, the ministers noted, said Mr Védrine, that the work was making good progress concerning the permanent structures and relations with third countries.
- Korean Peninsula. Still during lunch, the Fifteen took stock of the situation of their different approaches concerning the establishment of diplomatic relations with North Korea and agreed to come to an agreement on "harmonised policy" which, according to Mr Védrine, will serve as a base for the Troika during the visit that it will make to Pyongyang next Saturday.
The Council issued a Statement on the Middle East and the Presidency issued another on Peru. EUROPE will report tomorrow.
