Brussels, 17/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - Preparation for the European Spring Council on 23-24 March, WTO trade negotiations and the situation in the Middle East, in Iran and in the Western Balkans will be central to the discussions of the General Affairs/External Relations Council chaired by Ursula Plassnik in Brussels on Monday. Here is an overview of the agenda.
Preparation of the European Council (23-24 March). EU enlargement policy and research (issues on EIB loans and creation of a European Technology Institute) will be the two main topics of the European Council, devoted to the review of the Lisbon Strategy (research, growth, employment and support for SMEs). On Friday, Commission President José Manuel Barroso wrote to the 25 heads of state and government exhorting them to make real progress in four specific areas at the Summit: increasing investment in education and research, creating better conditions for SMEs, promoting employment and supporting the Commission Green Paper on a new common energy policy.
Doha Round/WTO. At the request of France, Commissioner Peter Mandelson will bring the Council up to date on the latest talks, particularly on the London meeting of Trade Ministers of the six major trading powers in the WTO on10-11 March (see EUROPE 9150).
Middle East. Ministers will continue the debate from Salzburg (10 March) on European aid to the Palestinians (see EUROPE 9150), but no decision is expected before the make up and the precise intentions of the next Palestinian government are known, said a press release from the Presidency of the EU on Friday. Ministers will also discus Lebanon, with Prime Minister Fouad Siniora attending.
Iraq. Ministers are expected to authorise the Commission to begin negotiations with the authorities in Baghdad with a view to concluding an EU/Iraq Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Western Balkans. Following the “Salzburg Declaration” (see EUROPE 9150), Ministers will have only a brief exchange of views but will adopt conclusions on Bosnia-Herzegovina (welcoming the progress made in this country) and (welcoming the progress made in this country) and Serbia-Montenegro (expressing strong support for the Serbian people, but also pointing out the need for full and complete cooperation with the ICTY).
Belarus. Officially, Belarus does not figure on the Council agenda, but it is certain that Ministers will speak about the Presidential elections due to take place on Sunday.
Iran. The Council will adopt conclusions stressing the EU's desire for a diplomatic solution to the Iranian nuclear dossier (referred by the IAEA to the UN Security Council). A first official meeting of the Security Council on the Iranian dossier takes place on Friday. The five permanent members of the Security Council and Germany (EU-3) are trying to reduce the differences on the tone and measures to adopt towards Tehran and are working to draw up a Presidential statement.
Democratic Republic of Congo. On Monday, Ministers will hear a report from the EU High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana, who is due to travel to Kinshasa on 19 March for talks with the Congolese President Joseph Kabila on the future mission which the EU could deploy ahead of the Presidential elections on 18 June. On Friday the Austrian Presidency said that a decision on this issue was not imminent. During the informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Innsbruck (see EUROPE 9146), several countries - France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Ireland and Poland - indicated their willingness to take part but none was prepared to give details of their involvement. It remains uncertain which country will lead the emission.
Sudan. The Council will adopt conclusions reaffirming its support for a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Sudan, based on the full implementation of the global peace agreement. Ministers will express their worry over tensions in the East of the country and will reiterate their deep concerns about the deterioration in the humanitarian situation, security, and human rights in Darfur. The conclusions are expected, however, to welcome the decision of 10 March taken by the security and peace council of the African Union (AU) to extend its AMIS II mission to the region and prepare a transfer to a UN peacekeeping force.
Other meetings are planned for the sidelines of the Council: a, Association Council with Romania (Monday evening) and a meeting of the Ministerial troika with Albania.
However, the EU/Algeria Association Council which was to be held on Tuesday has been postponed at the request of Algeria which considered that the preparation of dossiers to be submitted had been insufficiently met by the EU Presidency. This is the second postponement of this first session, planned for December 2005 to seal the coming into force of the Association Agreement signed last September.