Brussels, 13/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the EU 15 Ministers for Foreign Affairs dedicated an inconclusive debate to the preparation for the World Sustainable Development Summit (Johannesburg, 26 August-4 September), in view of the last meeting of the preparatory committee (in Bali from 27 May- 7 June). The President of the Council Josep Pique stated to the press: the idea is to do everything to ensure the success of the Johannesburg Summit, as we did for the Monterrey Summit (on financing development: Ed.). Though there remains a great deal of work to do. Our aim is to achieve a common position in the last General Affairs Council before Seville.
The general guidelines, reflect an agreement over four points: - the EU will have to play a key role in these negotiations, which mark the tenth anniversary of the Rio Summit; - the Heads of State and Government from the EU 15 should participate in the World Summit; - balances will have to be found between the three pillars of sustainable development (economic, social and environmental), between the North and South, between words and action; - the action plan leading to the Summit should be ambitious, but realistic. These guidelines will steer the works of the Development Council on 30 May, which should adopt more detailed conclusions on the EU's priorities, which the General Affairs Council will enshrine in June.
Before the press, the new French Minister for Foreign Affairs Dominique de Villepin, cited the mastering of globalisation as an important axis of his government's external action: to take-on the challenge of globalisation, it is vital to successfully take-on the challenge of the environment, development aid and international ethical requirements, he said.