Brussels, 27/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - The first General Affairs and External Relations Council under the Austrian Presidency, to be chaired on Monday in Brussels by Austrian foreign minister Ursula Plassnik, will focus on Afghanistan, the Western Balkans, Belarus, the peace process in the Middle East, Iraq and the Iranian nuclear question. European foreign ministers will travel to London on Monday evening for a post-Bonn conference on Afghanistan on Tuesday and Wednesday.
WTO negotiations. The Council will discuss the latest developments in the Doha Trade Round, particularly the outcome of the 6th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong on 13 to 18 December last year. Over an informal meal on Sunday evening, the EU's trade ministers will hold an exchange of views with EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, who will brief them on his attendance of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Friday and Saturday where along with two dozen counterparts he will be attempting to draw up a work programme and schedule for 2006.
Western Balkans. The Council will discuss the situation in the Balkans and adopt conclusion on Serbia and Montenegro. Following the recent death of the President of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova, the Council will urge Kosovo's leaders to play a constructive role in the negotiations over Kosovo's final status. The Council is expected to repeat its demands that the referendum on the independence of Montenegro meets international standards. In its conclusions document, the Council will repeat its call for Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia Herzegovina to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Tribunal in The Hague for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The EU's foreign ministers will formally approve the appointment of the new EU Special Representative for Bosnia Herzegovina, German national Christian Schwarz-Schilling, who is taking over from Paddy Ashdown.
Belarus. Ahead of the 19 March 2006 elections, the Council will discuss the EU's policy on Belarus. On line with its conclusions of 7 November 2005, the Council is expected to repeat its concerns about the lack of democracy and the human rights situation in Belarus, and call on the Belarus authorities to ensure the elections are free and fair. The EU is torn between imposing further restrictions if the Minsk government fails to prove that it is respecting international standards in the electoral process, and boosting support for civil society and the process of democratisation. The Council is pleased that Belarus has agreed to the sending of OSCE election observers but calls on the authorities to ensure the observers are able to carry out their mission unhindered.
Middle East. Over lunch, the EU's foreign ministers will hold their first big debate, all 25 countries together, about the Middle East after the Palestinian elections of 25 January. In its conclusions, the Council will strike a note of caution before deciding what form its future cooperation with the Palestinian Authority will take. It is expected to note that terrorism and violence are incompatible with the democratic process and the Middle East peace process, and in this connection, is expected to call on Hamas to renounce violence and recognise the state of Israel's right to exist (see other article).
Iran. Ahead of the special meeting in Vienna on 2 and 3 February of the IAEA board of governors to decide on the future of the Iranian nuclear question, the Council is expected to adopt conclusions stressing the EU's concern at Iran's decision to resume uranium enrichment. In London on Monday evening, EU3 diplomats (Germany, France and the UK) will be meeting with their US, Russian and Chinese counterparts to discuss the issue.
Iraq. The foreign ministers will discuss and adopt conclusions on the situation in Iraq following the elections on 15 December last year.
Afghanistan. Ahead of the conference on Afghanistan in London on 31 January and 1 February, which will provide opportunities to relaunch the reform and reconstruction process for Afghanistan, the Council will adopt conclusions outlining ways the EU can increase its commitments to rebuilding the country and boost its aid for political dialogue, security (the EU is prepared to increase its financial support for creating a national Afghan police force), development and humanitarian aid. An EU-Afghanistan ministerial troika meeting will be held on Tuesday on the fringes of the London conference.
Latin America: The Commission will present the communication adopted last December to Council (EUROPE 9086) on the new Union strategy for the partnership with Latin America (COM/2005/636).
Furthermore, ministers will, at the opening of the work, hold a public debate on the Council's operational programme and the Commission's annual work programme for 2006. Also, the Commission will present EU foreign ministers with its latest report on annual progress made in the implementation of national action plans for reform within the context of the revised Lisbon Strategy (see EUROPE 9117).