Brussels, 13/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - After the beginning of the morning devoted to horizontal issues with, among other things, follow-up to the Summit of Gothenburg and enlargement, the EU Foreign Ministers must discuss, on 16 July, "dialogue with the European citizens". This first session of the General Affairs Council under the presidency of Belgian Minister Louis Michel will continue during the afternoon with several external relations (Central Africa, Balkans, Near East) and security and defence policy issues, two of which come from succession of WEU and conflict prevention. Three meetings are scheduled for 17 July: EU/Kyrgyzstan Cooperation Council; - EU/Hungary Association Council; - EU/Kazakhstan Cooperation Council. Points on the agenda of the sitting are:
- Horizontal issues: In the context of their task for horizontal coordination of all the activities of the different formations in Council, the ministers will note an inventory by the State of the work on the most important issues currently on the table, but no debate is foreseen at this stage. The Belgian Presidency will present its working programme concerning enlargement (see below). In the context of follow-up to the Summit of Gothenburg, the Council is expected to tackle three themes: - the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, in the light of the different meetings with different international partners (see other article); - the arrangements for the organisation of dialogue with anti-globalisation movements; - the organisation of work concerning the EU's strategy for sustainable development.
- Dialogue with European citizens: The Belgian Presidency has proposed structuring this debate around the following questions: - How can Member States perceive the expectations and grievances of citizens regarding the EU?, - What response should be given to this?; - How can one best answer the question "why?" and explain the main European stakes?; - How can the Union ensure that its arguments are addressed more to the poppulation and less to the initiated?
- African Great Lakes: The Council will tackle this issue on the basis of the report that will be made by Mr Michel on his recent visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the Belgian Action Plan for the region. The Council will adopt conclusions affirming, above all, its support to a broad, coherent and coordinated EU role in the region. High Representative for CFSP Javier Solana is expected on this occasion to seize the opportunity to brief ministers on his recent trip to Central Africa (meeting of Heads of State in Arusha, visit to DRC and then on to Angola, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Burundi) at the end of this month.
- Western Balkans: After a presentation of the latest developments by Mr Solana, the Council should adopt conclusions that will cover: - the transfer of Mr Milosevic and the two indicted Croat nationals to The Hague; - the donors' conference for the FRY; - the formation of the new government in Montenegro; - legislative elections in Albania; - the stabilisation and association process for Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Council is also expected to continue its examination of possible restrictive measures, mainly the ban on visas, against extremists.
- Middle East: During lunch, the Council will take stock of the situation in the Middle East and on the continued efforts to implement the recommendations set out in the Mitchell and Tenet reports.
- ESDP: The Council should adopt common actions on the creation of two agencies which will take over from the Satellite Centre (in Torrejon de Ardoz, Spain) and the Institut d'Etudes de Sécurité (Paris) of the WEU. Responsible for providing information and analysing satellite photos to the service of the CFSP and ESDP, the Satellite Centre will be placed under the authority of the Secretary General of the Council to which the Commission and the Member States, as well as certain third countries and organisations (UN, OSCE, NATO), should address their requests for information. The Secretary General will also chair the Centre's Administrative Board to which the regulations of the Security Council will apply. The daily management and staff issues will be attributed to the director appointed for three years, with the possibility
of extending the term of office for another two years. A first director should be appointed on 31 July and part of the WEU staff should be kept in their posts during this transitional phase. Except for the budget, for which unanimity is required, the decisions of the management board, where there will be one representative per Member State, will be taken by qualified majority. These same principles will apply to the Institut d'Etudes de Sécurité, that will have the task of conducting academic research and analyses, organising seminars after the fashion of the WEU Transatlantic Forum, and holding exchanges with other study structures on matters of security and defence. Denmark is not expected to fully take part in the activities of the Satellite Centre. It will hold a seat on the Board, without voting rights.
