Brussels, 23/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - The agenda of the General Affairs/External Relations Council, in Brussels on Monday 26 January, the first under Czech Presidency, is not a long one, but it carries great political importance. Discussion will focus in particular on energy security, relations with Ukraine and Russia, the Middle East and the closure of Guantanamo. Several important meetings are also scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the Council: - an informal dinner for trade ministers on Sunday evening 25 January; - an EU Troika meeting with Serbia on Monday evening; - a Troika meeting with Belarus on Tuesday morning, 27 January. The following provides a summary of the Council agenda:
EU Presidency priorities. Presentation of the priorities by Karel Schwarzenberg and Alexandr Vondra will be followed by a public debate broadcast on the Council site (http: //video.consilium.europa.eu/).
Middle East. Ministers will discuss the situation in Gaza after the ceasefire declared by Israel and Hamas and following the meeting with Tzipi Livni on 21 January (see EUROPE 9824) and the dinner they will have with their Egyptian, Jordanian, Turkish and Palestinian Authority counterparts in Brussels on 25 January. The Council will adopt conclusions (the draft text will be discussed further by the Coreper on Monday morning) in which the EU is expected to call for the ceasefire to be respected, for an effective mechanism to be put in place to prevent the traffic of arms and munitions into the Gaza Strip, and for the re-opening of crossing points. The EU will also restate its willingness to provide economic aid and to contribute to reconciliation among Palestinians and the relaunch of the peace process.
Guantanamo. Following the announcement by President Barack Obama that the Guantanamo detention centre was to be closed within a year, the Council will, at the request of Portugal, hold a debate on how member states might help the United States resolve this problem (see EUROPE 9824).
Russia/Ukraine. Over lunch, ministers will discuss the future of bilateral relations with Russia and Ukraine after the gas crisis over the last weeks. Negotiations are on-going with the two countries to strengthen contractual relations (an association agreement with Ukraine and an enhanced partnership agreement with Russia). The question is whether the EU should draw any political conclusions from the “completely unacceptable” behaviour of Moscow and Kiev towards the European countries during the gas dispute, and if so, what are these conclusions. The Czech Presidency, with the backing of a large majority of member states, believes that the gas problems (to which the EU has still to react with specific energy security measures) should not be allowed to affect long-term political relations with these two important countries. Member states will have the opportunity to express their “disapproval” and “concern” over the way Russia and Ukraine conducted themselves at a number of high-level meetings in the first half of this year (ministerial Troika meetings with Russia in February and April, followed by a summit in May; ministerial Troika with Ukraine in February, followed by a Cooperation Council in June), the Presidency says. As one of the main supporters of the Eastern Partnership (to be launched at a summit in Prague on 7 May) in which Ukraine is likely to play a key role, Prague wants to avoid any unnecessary friction with Kiev. The same applies for Russia, which remains one of the EU's main partners. The Commission, while “disappointed” by Moscow and Kiev, also feels it to be in the EU's interest to maintain and develop its relations with these two countries (see EUROPE 9822). Only the three Baltic states, backed, it would appear, by Austria, have not ruled out an in-depth debate on the political conclusions to be drawn from the gas conflict in the Coreper this week. The matter will be discussed once again in the Coreper on Monday morning, just before the Council meeting.
Energy Security. After the Russia-Ukraine gas conflict, foreign ministers will discuss energy security, a Czech Presidency priority. Discussions will concentrate on the agreement reached on 18 January between Russian gas producer Gazprom and Ukrainian transport network manager Naftogaz and sealed on 19 January by Kiev and Moscow, follow-up to the informal General Affairs Council in Prague on 8 January and the programme for the 19-20 March European Council which will discuss the energy security action plan in preparation for the 2010-2012 Energy for Europe action plan.
Trade. The Czech Presidency will host an informal dinner of trade minsters, to be attended by Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton. At this dinner, ministers will discuss the impact of the financial crisis on trade and the role of trade policy in lessening its effects. (H.B./E.H./transl.rt)