Brussels, 10/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - Preparations for the European Council of 16/17 December and the political situation in Ukraine will be at the centre of discussions the Foreign Ministers will hold on Monday in the meetings of the "General Affairs" and "External Relations" Council, under the chairmanship of Bernard Bot. The first action plans the Commission has just proposed for the implementation of the new European neighbourhood policy will also be discussed, as will the situation in Iran and the Middle East. They will also touch upon relations between the EU and Israel, in an association Council to take place on Monday evening; On Tuesday, two important ministerial meetings will be held with Bulgaria and Romania, for the formal conclusion of accession negotiations with these two countries.
Here is an overview of the agenda for the two sections of the Council:
- Preparations for the European Council. The Foreign Ministers will look at the draft conclusions put together by the Dutch Presidency, which have already been discussed several times by the representatives of the Member States within Coreper. The main chapter of the conclusions relates to enlargement, more particularly to Turkey. "We are making good headway" on the drafting of the text, said a Dutch Presidency source of Thursday. The draft text on Turkey which came out of Coreper this week (see EUROPE of 8 December, p.5 and yesterday, p.4) is an "excellent working basis" to continue talks, first of all on Monday at Foreign Minister level, and then at the European Council, said the Presidency. "Obviously, there are some key questions still to resolve" (such as the date to open negotiations, the description of their outcome and the problem of the recognition of Cyprus), "but these will be discussed by the Heads of State themselves. Together with the Member States, we are putting together proposals on these issues. I feel that the Presidency will be able to present concrete compromise proposals when the European Council opens on Thursday evening"; explained the same source. The Heads of State and Government will also announce on 17 December that accession negotiations with Bulgaria and Romania are closed, and that the two countries will now be set to join the EU on 1 January 2007, as long as by then they have finished the legislative and administrative preparations necessary. The European Council will also point out that special safeguard clauses have been planned for these two countries, which will allow the EU to postpone their accession by a year in case of serious shortfalls with their implementation of the acquis. The conclusions will also refer to the "super safeguard clause" for the fields of "competition" and "justice and home affairs" which the EU imposed on Romania at the end of negotiations (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.10). In their conclusions, the Twenty-Five will also stress the importance to be attached to "monitoring", especially via annual reports which the European Commission will continue to publish on both countries. The European Council will also determine the date (on which the Member States have not yet agreed) on which the Accession Treaty with both countries will be signed. As for Croatia, which is waiting for a date for accession negotiations to start, the States remain divided as to the exact conditions for a date (on which there is no consensus as of yet) to be offered to the Croats. On Thursday, the Dutch Presidency said that there were still differences of opinion on whether the conclusions of the European Council should call upon the Zagreb authorities to implement concrete measures on cooperation with ICTY. "Opinions still differ on the wording. There are some Member States (such as Germany and Austria, supported by countries such as France and Ireland: Ed) which would like to open negotiations with Croatia without conditions. Others (such as the United Kingdom) would like to open negotiations only when and if there is total cooperation with ICTY, in light of what Ms Del Ponte took up with the United Nations", she said. The ICTY prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte called upon the UN last month for the immediate arrest of the Croatian General Ante Gotovina, and criticised the protection she claims he enjoyed from "powerful networks" within his country of origin. On Monday, the foreign ministers will try to resolve the problem. Alongside enlargement, the conclusion of the European Council will contain chapters on the fight against terrorism, on the financial perspectives (2007-2013), the area of freedom, justice and security, and on external affairs. Several of the subjects to be mentioned in this last chapter (Ukraine, Iran, Middle East, Sudan, Great Lakes) will be prepared on Monday by the ministers as part of the "External Relations" Council (see below).
- Operation programme of the Council for 2005. The Ministers will hear an oral presentation of the operation programme for 2005, prepared by the next two Presidencies of the EU, Luxembourg and the UK. This programme covers the broad themes on which the Council will be called upon to concentrate next year: reform of the Lisbon programme, common agricultural policy (CAP) and fisheries, sustainable development, the next stages of the creation of an area of liberty/security/justice, future waves of accession, the reinforcement of global security and prosperity, and preparations for the entry into force of the Constitutional Treaty.
- Ukraine. "This will be one of the big issues, not only of Tuesday's meeting, but also of the European Council", said the Presidency. In the conclusions which will be prepared on Monday for the European Council, the EU will take stock on recent days and weeks, and will reiterate its commitment to the electoral campaign and the new round of elections planned for 26 December respecting all international democratic standards. The Twenty-Five will also specify how they will take part in the international observation mission which will oversee the elections.
- European neighbourhood policy. The Commission will present its initial action plans, adopted this week (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.5).
- Middle East. Ministers will discuss the situation on the ground, in light of recent developments.
- Iran. The Council will debate the Iran nuclear dossier, after the agreement reached with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the suspension of Iranian uranium enrichment activities with potential military end-use (see EUROPE of 1 December, p.7).
- African Great Lakes region: The Council will hold an exchange of views on the situation in the region in light of recent incursions of the Rwandan troops into Congolese territory against the FDLR/ex-FAR/Interahamwe forces. Its conclusions will stress that these forces are a threat to peace and security in the region, express their serious concerns at the military operation of the Rwandan armed forces, which are threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and call upon Rwanda and DRC to find a solution to the problem by dialogue, in full respect of their commitments under the declaration of the Dar-Es Salam Summit.
- Sudan: The Council will hold further discussions and adopt conclusions on the situation in Sudan, especially the crisis in the Darfur region. The basis taken will be the latest Kofi Annan report to the Security Council of the UN, taking stock of the deterioration of the situation, the implementation of commitments taken by Khartoum, and the enlarged mission of the African Union to make the region more secure.
- Côte d'Ivoire: the Council will hold a discussion of developments in the Ivoirian crisis, and may adopt conclusions.