Brussels, 14/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - The first General Affairs and External Relations Council under the Finnish Presidency will take place in Brussels on 17 July. No important decisions are expected to be taken but there will be important talks on international events like the escalation of violence in the Middle East, the Iranian nuclear issue, trade talks at the WTO and the future of the EU's relations with the Western Balkans. The meeting will begin at 10 am with a public debate on the Finnish Presidency's priorities (online video at: http: //http://www.consilium.europa.eu/videostreaming ). The agenda:
Middle East. Over lunch, ministers will discuss the situation in the Lebanon and Israel following the escalation of violence in recent days, and measures the EU could take to help put an end to this vicious circle of rocket attacks and reprisals. The ministers will be briefed by EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, who will be travelling to the Middle East on Saturday for talks with various parties. On Thursday, the Finnish Presidency published a statement expressing the EU's great concern at the disproportionate use of force by Israel in Lebanon in response to Hezbollah attacks on Israel. The EU says Israel's air and sea blockade on the Lebanon cannot be justified, and Israel's operations run contrary to international humanitarian law. The Finnish Presidency urges Hezbollah to immediately and unconditionally release the Israeli soldiers it is holding in captivity and to cease all attacks on Israel. The EU urges the Lebanese government to do all it can to prevent such attacks on Israel.
Doha Trade Round. Commissioner Peter Mandelson will brief ministers on progress in the Doha trade talks following the breakdown of the June summit and the holding of a new summit at ministerial level, possibly at the end of this month (see related article nouvelle). Ministers will examine the potential for making progress at informal talks this weekend on the fringes of the G8 Summit in St Petersburg and the meeting of G8 leaders on 17 July with their counterparts from China, India, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa. The Council on Monday is expected to adopt conclusions expressing the option of holding a special General Affairs Council meeting, if necessary, on the fringes of the WTO summit in Geneva at the end of the month, should the WTO hold such a meeting.
Iran. The Council will discuss and adopt conclusion on the Iran nuclear dossier. At a meeting in Paris on Thursday, the 'Six' foreign ministers decided to send the issue back to the UN Security Council to consider whether to issue economic and diplomatic sanctions against Iran (see EUROPE 9232, p.4).
Western Balkans. The Council will adopt conclusions on Serbia and Kosovo, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Montenegro and regional cooperation (see details in article below). On the fringes of the Council on Monday afternoon, there will be EU ministerial troika meeting with Bosnia Herzegovina and Serbia.
Immigration. The Council will adopt conclusions stressing the need to ensure as much coherence and coordination as possible among the different EU policies concerning immigration, like development policy and justice and home affairs. Ministers will welcome the outcome of the Rabat summit this week (see EUROPE 9230, p.14) and adopt an EU common position for the high level dialogue on immigration and development to be organised by the United Nations in New York in September.
Sudan/Darfur. Ministers will adopt conclusions calling on everyone who has not yet signed the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) to do so and pledge to implement it. They will welcome the new concept of operations for AMIS (the African Union Mission in Sudan), and in particular the AU Peace and Security Council decision of 27 June 2006 to implement targetted measures against anyone threatening the DPA, preventing its implementation or violating the general ceasefire.
The Council will note the vital role being played by AMIS in the Darfur peace process, particularly implementing the DPA. The EU will express support for an early UN Security Council 'resolution establishing a UN operation in Darfur, as this would provide a clear framework allowing all stakeholders to maximise their support for AMIS in the interim period and to facilitate a successful transition to a future UN mission.'
The Council is in favour of the Security Council rapidly adopting a resolution establishing the UN-led operation in Darfur, which is the “only viable and realistic option in Darfur in the long term”, the conclusions state. The EU will also restate its willingness to support the efforts of the AU and of AMIS in Sudan and Darfur politically and financially as well as through military and police means. The AMIS conference to be held in Brussels on 18 July as a joint AU, UN and EU exercise will provide an important opportunity to discuss pressing issues regarding the mission's political environment as well as further enhancing the effectiveness of EU technical and staff support to AMIS.
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ministers will take stock of the preparations underway in this country with a view to the first democratic elections for forty years and will stress, in the conclusions, the need to ensure the electoral process is transparent and without irregularities. In its conclusions, the Council will call on the DRC transition authorities and on the political forces of the country to fully comply with democratic principles and fundamental freedoms during the electoral campaign. Ministers will also invite Congolese security forces to show proof of restraint and to remain neutral while ensuring the security of the electoral process. The Council will welcome progress made in the deployment of the EUFOR (DRC) operation, in support of MONUC, and will stress that EUFOR will soon be fully operational for a period of up to four months counting from 30 July (date of the first round of presidential and legislative elections).