Brussels, 19/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - During a presentation to the press on Tuesday, setting out the work of the German presidency for the first half of 2007, the German minister for foreign affairs, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, declared that, “expectations are very high but we will not be able to produce any miracles”. The minister (on his tour of EU capitals in preparation for the presidency) said Germany wants to put itself at the service of the “European project” in pursuing the work begun by the “very good” Finnish presidency and set out new specific priorities “only where it is necessary and possible”. The minister has also visited some of the main international partners over recent days and weeks: the USA, Middle East, Central Asia, North Africa and Russia (he will be in Moscow again on Wednesday). Mr Steinmeier pointed out that “Europe is currently going through a difficult patch”, which is mainly due to a loss of trust from citizens (particularly young people) in the European project and the European Union's capacity to provide answers to urgent questions posed in a globalised world. The German minister said that “one of our obligations as presidency of the EU will be to try and regain this trust” and proposed three “keys” for succeeding: the Constitutional Treaty, “which has become a kind of symbol of Europe's paralysis” has to be relaunched; the Union must speak with a single voice to its international partners more than it has done in the past and “act together”. The theme of the German presidency will also be “Together, We will make Europe work”; the EU has to define and devise its current policies for resolving the “problems of tomorrow, problems that will arise in 2020, like the energy question and climate change”.
European Constitution. Relaunching the constitutional process is undoubtedly one of the main priorities of the German presidency, which will conclude a “road map” in June 2007 and a timetable for continuing the process, as well as the “outlines of the contents” for a draft text that is acceptable to all. Steinmeier said that “the Union has a need for rapidly implementing reform”. He also underlined that even if Germany is one of the countries that has already ratified the Constitutional Treaty, “it will, as president, act as an honest broker” between those who believe that the current text should be safeguarded (Germany is part of them) and those who want substantial change with regard to its form and content. The minister said that he hoped that “all Member States will be cooperative, and not only the 18 countries that have already ratified the text”. Asked about the Hispano-Luxembourg initiative to arrange a meeting on 26 January in Madrid for European ministers of the 18 countries that have already ratified the Constitution (EUROPE 9330 and 9329), Steinmeier said that he understood the wishes of the 18 countries to defend their acts of ratification but also expressed his hope that this Madrid meeting, as well as the one with all Member States on 27 February in Luxembourg, would produce a “constructive contribution” and help the German presidency find an acceptable compromise for all.
External relations. Mr Steinmeier explained that “as always, it is difficult to predict what subjects will be tackled over the next six months” but several dossiers are already on the table, notably: Turkey. The Council's 11 December decision (confirmed by the European Council on 15 December) on the partial suspension of accession negotiations was “wise and reasonable” and leaves the “door open” for Turkey. He said that it is “realistic” to envisage the opening of “two to four” new negotiation chapters (among those that are not affected by the partial suspension) during the first half of 2007 but none of them will be completed as long as Turkey does not implement the protocol on the extension of customs union with Cyprus. The German minister said that he was “optimistic” about the impasse and finding a settlement to the question of direct trade with the North of Cyprus, and believed that it could be resolved; Kosovo. Immediately after the elections in Serbia on 21 January, Martti Ahtisaari, the Special Envoy for the UN Secretary General in charge of discussions on the final status of Kosovo, intends to present his proposal on the future status of Kosovo. Steinmeier affirmed that the EU will above all have to ensure that unity is maintained in the contact group on this question and prepare the important ESDP mission on rule of law, which the Union will send out into the field once the question of status is resolved; Middle East. The situation in Palestine is rather confused, acknowledged the German minister, who had had a telephone conversation with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas on Monday. Although the option for forming a government of national unity made up of Fatah and Hamas appears, over the last few days, to have been definitively shelved (due to the clashes of recent days) Mr Steinmeier said that “this option, again appears to be possible”.
Under the German Presidency, the EU will try “with all its means, which cannot be overestimated” to ensure that the problems between Palestinians do not hamper the rapprochement between President Abbas and the Israeli authorities ahead of the relaunch of the peace process. The German Presidency also wants to “revitalise” the Quartet, said Mr Steinmeier; - European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP): the German Presidency and the Portuguese Presidency (which will follow it in the second half of 2007) will try to make progress on the general review of the ENP to make it more effective; talks with the Commission on this issue are already being held, according to Mr Steinmeier; Russia: the German Presidency will do its best to start negotiations with Moscow on a new partnership agreement (currently being blocked by Poland because of the Russian ban on Polish meat imports); Central Asia: the Presidency wants to launch a new initiative in preparation for a new EU strategy for this important region.
Questioned about China and the possible lifting of the embargo on European arms exports to that country, Mr Steinmeier felt that, for the moment, there was no chance of reaching a consensus on this issue among the 27 Member States. On Tuesday, China renewed its call to the EU for the “outdated and discriminatory” embargo to be lifted.
EUROPE will return to the future German Presidency's sectoral priorities over the coming days. (hb)