Brussels, 19/07/2002 (Agence Europe) - The first General Affairs Council under the Danish Presidency will take place on Monday in Brussels, starting at 10h. Steel, Zimbabwe, the situation in the Middle East and the follow-up to the Summit of Seville will be among some of the main subjects at the meeting. Foreign Ministers from Member States will first of all examine general issues (presentation of the Presidency's work programme, progress in other Council groups), before tackling external relations issues. On the dinner menu will be the Middle East, Zimbabwe, ESDP and perhaps the disputed Perejil Island. The Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs will be in Brussels on Sunday night or Monday where he will meet the "highest level" of the Commission, announced the spokesperson of President Prodi. On Tuesday morning, two co-operation councils will be held with Kirghizistan and Kazakhstan.
Steel and the US: The Council will have to decide whether the EU will apply customs sanctions from 1 August, as a reaction to the increased duties imposed by the USA on imports. Much is hanging on this E15 permanent representatives' meeting, which is expected to meet on Friday evening. On 13 June the Council approved a regulation establishing additional customs duties on US products, with a long list of taxes to be increased after 20 March 2005, five days after condemnation of the USA by the World Trade Organisation, and a short list to implement on 1 August, unless Member States decide to leave more time for negotiations.
Middle East: At lunch, the Council will examine the "quite substantial conclusions" adopted by the Quartet on Tuesday, explained the Danish Ambassador Poul Christoffersen (EUROPE 18 July p 5). The Quartet has given its support to organising an international ministerial conference, "at the appropriate time". It condemned the terrorism and attacks on the settlements and stressed the international community's support for the plan of reform that should lead to the creation of a Palestinian State. High Representative, Javier Solana, met Foreign Affairs Ministers from Jordan, Egypt and Washington and will be expected to give a report back of his meetings to the Council. After their meeting with George Bush, these Ministers said that they were "very encouraged and optimistic about this meeting" and the Egyptian Minister, Ahmed Maher noted that, "many of the positions expressed by the Danish Presidency coincide with ours". The future of Yasser Arafat was not discussed.
Johannesburg: The President will give a briefing on preparation for the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development on 26 August - 4 September. It will also give a low-down on the "Friends of the Chair" meeting that took place in New York on 17-18 July. The Council will adopt conclusions on the commitment to these EU objectives for the Summit's success and announce European Union initiatives for drinking water, energy, trade and development etc.
Zimbabwe: The Council may draw up a list of people subject to visa restrictions, announced the Danish Ambassador. The Council will be examining social and political problems, the dead-end in discussions between political parties and the deterioration of the economic situation, he explained. On 18 February the Council decided to put an embargo on the sale and transfer of weapons, as well as military assistance and has put a freeze on visas for those implicated in the violation of human rights or freedom of the press, as well as a freeze on their assets.
Enlargement: Ambassador Christoffersen pointed out that the Presidency would present its work programme for accession negotiations. The objective is to conclude negotiations before the end of 2002 with up to ten countries. In October, the European Council of Brussels is expected to have been able to conclude negotiations by this date. Member States should also have adopted their common negotiating position on all subjects, including direct aid to farmers by November by the latest. "It's our plan and we'll stick to it", reaffirmed the Danish Ambassador (see EUROPE on 28 June p 5).
Afghanistan: Ministers will be looking at the situation in this country, with Javier Solana, who will be visiting Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Iran at the end of the month. Conflict prevention: Mr Solana and Commissioner Chris Patten will provide a report on the follow-up to the programme adopted by the European Council of Gothenburg in June 2001. The Council will adopt conclusions. West Balkans: Javier Solana will be assessing the situation in the region. The Council will adopt conclusions on the return of refugees and displaced persons; regional co-operation; monitoring of the next elections on 15 September
in Yugoslavia; extending the mandate of the United Nations mission until the end of the year when the EU will taken over in Bosnia-Herzegovina. South Africa: the Council will adopt conclusions on the food crisis in southern Africa and the humanitarian response to it. The Council adopt without debate an amendment to its internal regulations and the list of public debates in the framework of implementing decisions taken by the Seville European Council (see article on p.4); the updating of the roadmap on terrorism; conclusions on external action against terrorism; conclusions on relations with Russia and the Ukraine, and with Somalia; the EU's priorities for the 57th United Nations Assembly General; and probably a readmission agreement with Hong Kong (see article on p.10).