Brussels, 20/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - Relations between the European Union and Russia are expected to dominate Monday afternoon's External Relations Council. Over dinner, the foreign ministers will discuss the Middle East and the EU taking over SFOR in Bosnia Herzegovina, following a briefing by French foreign minister Dominique de Villepin. Recent events in Haiti will also be discussed. In the morning, the General Affairs Council is expected to adopt the agenda for the European Council of 25/26 March and draft conclusions (see EUROPE of 14 February, p.6). President Prodi will then present the EU's Financial Perspectives for 2007-2013. The Council will also hold a short discussion on recent events in Cyprus. On Monday, the EU Troika will meet with representatives of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Croatian government. On Tuesday, on the fringes of the Council, Cooperation Councils will take place with the Lebanon and Moldavia. The main issues:
Relations between the EU and Russia. Diplomatic sources suggest that the Council will approve a Presidency report on the EU's 'revised' relations with Russia, including most of the Commission's recommendations from its recent communication (see EUROPE of 11 February, p.12) along with 'additional elements'. The European Council of 12 December instructed the Commission and the Presidency to put forward suggestions on how to make EU-Russia dialogue more productive, following the 7 November Summit between the two sides, which had led to criticism of the Italian Presidency (see EUROPE of 18 November, p.8). In its conclusions on Russia, the Council is expected to stress the extension 'without conditions or distinctions' of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Russia to the ten new Member States as from 1 May 2004. Noting its willingness to discuss its 'legitimate concerns' about EU enlargement with Russia, the Council is expected to give a clear signal that the two issues are not linked. It will also focus on the Permanent Partner Council being rendered operational and for the extension of cooperation with Moscow with regard to security. The Council is also expected to highlight the importance of identifying and clearly presenting its aims and priorities to Russia, and improving coherence in cooperation with Moscow. It is also likely to decide to start working on the four common areas so that progress can be made in this connection at the EU-Russia Summit in May.
Iran: The Council is expected to adopt conclusions following the Iranian general elections of 23 February, when reform candidates had not been allowed to stand. Diplomatic sources suggest the Council is 'concerned' and add that this will have an impact on the perception of the legitimacy of the election results. The Council is likely to express its concern at the human rights situation and examine the eagerly awaited new report by the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran's nuclear programme.
The Middle East: No conclusions are expected on the Middle East. Ministers will discuss the opening of hearing at the Court in the Hague on the security wall erected by Israel (see below), recent proposals by the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, concerning the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, and meetings last week between the Palestinian prime minister, Ahmed Qurei, and the European institutions (see EUROPE of 19 February, p.4).
The Balkans: Over dinner, ministers will be looking at the EU taking over from SFOR in Bosnia Herzegovina, following a briefing by Javier Solana, who is expected to highlight the need to continue liaising with NATO in this connection.
Transnistria: The Council is expected to decide, without debate, to extend for a year the visa ban on 17 members of the self-proclaimed independent republic of Transnistria (Moldavia). This means the visa ban, which expires on 26 February 2004, would be extended until 27 February 2005.
The Council is also expected to look at the situation in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, following a report by the Troika, and also at the EU's good neighbours policy following a briefing by Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen.