Brussels, 06/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The signing of the first Stabilisation and Association Agreement with a Balkans country - Macedonia -, transatlantic relations, the Nordic dimension and relations with Russia (see below) will be the main topics of the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Monday, followed by the Conference on the Nordic Dimension Monday evening and the Cooperation Council with Russia Tuesday morning. Here is how the work should proceed:
- Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Macedonia: the Council will be preceded by a breakfast between the President and Prime Minister of Macedonia and the EU Troika (Swedish Presidency, 'Mr. Cfsp", Commissioner Patten and future Belgian Presidency). The agreement, which was initialed in Zagreb in November, should be signed at 13.00 hrs.. Friday, the Swedish Presidency had still not received confirmation of the presence of all the political parties - Albanian opposition included - for the signing ceremony. The EU should, moreover renew its backing for the authorities of Fyrom and the creation, in Skopje, of a "Europe committee" bringing all the parties together. The EU should also state that it is prepared to provide financial and technical support.
- Serbia: the Council will adopt conclusions in which, said Ambassador Lund, it should welcome the arrest of Slobodan Milosevic and regard it positive that he should be judged by his people, while recalling that he will eventually be transferred to the Tribunal in the Hague.
- The forthcoming legislative election Montenegro, visit by the Justice and Home Affairs Troika to Belgrade and Sarajevo. The Council will discuss these issues and adopt conclusions on depleted uranium, to observe that the latest international studies have demonstrated no link with the illnesses of soldiers deployed in the region.
- Middle East: The Council will discuss the Solana-Peres-Shaat meeting on 4 April.
- Transatlantic relations: The Council will debate the European Commission Communication, which proposes to refocus transatlantic cooperation on specific themes (see EUROPE of 21 March, p.10). For Ambassador Lund, this concerns allowing for bilateral talks not to only concentrate on the disputes, because our relations are wider than that.
- Enlargement: The Council will take note of the latest development in accession negotiations.
- Access to documents: The Council will discuss if it is necessary to push forward the works that are taking place at the Permanent Representative level, added the Swedish Presidency.
The Council should also: 1) extend by 6 months its common position on Burma; 2) raise the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan; 3) nominate General Gustav Hagglund to the head of the European Union Military Committee (Italy should clarify its position); 4) broach the "Debate on the future of Europe"; 5) raise the taking into account of the environment in the EU policies; 6) broach the theme of the Synergy programme.
