Hlobuká and Vltavou, 27/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - South Bohemia and its neo-gothic castle of Hlobuká and Vltavou, the historic home of the Schwarzenberg family, are hosting the informal two-day meeting of EU foreign ministers. The traditional “Gymnich” meeting began on Friday 27 March, under the chairmanship of Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg with a discussion on the situation in the Middle East. The stance to be adopted towards Belarus was also due to be discussed without any definite decision being taken on inviting President Lukashenko to the summit launching the Eastern Partnership on 7 May, European External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner confirmed on her arrival (several ministers have called on Belarusian authorities to implement more reforms, in particular on freedom of expression). Ministers were then scheduled to discuss the European police mission in Afghanistan, and the new strategy for Afghanistan announced on the same day by the US president. This announcement will be warmly welcomed by the Europeans, who have indicated their intention to strengthen their civilian contribution in Afghanistan (but without increasing the number of groups operating). Ferrero-Waldner said she thought that additional EU aid could be announced at the conference on Afghanistan to be held in The Hague next week.
The weekend will, however, be dominated by the issue of enlargement, which will be discussed on Saturday at a meeting attended by the ministers of the candidate countries (Croatia, Turkey and Macedonia), representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, and also Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. The Czech Presidency aims to re-affirm accession prospects at a time when, with the economic crisis, uncertainty over the Lisbon Treaty and the forthcoming European elections, several member states are acting very cautiously (Germany, for example, has called for enlargement to be temporarily halted after Croatia's accession). David Miliband says that the prospect of accession is “very important” and that “it is right to continue the process leading to enlargement” under defined criteria. The signal has to be sent that the “doors of the EU are not being closed,” the UK Foreign Secretary said. His Slovakian counterpart Miroslav Lajèák repeated that accession had to be a “tangible and viable” prospect, and that “there is no reason to stop anything”, even though accession may remain a relatively distant possibility for most candidate countries. “We have certain commitments we have to abide by,” pointed out Alexander Stubb, adding that the EU had to “keep the Western Balkan countries on board”. “The financial crisis, in my mind, will speed up enlargement, not slow it down,” the Finnish minister said.
The countries of the region have, to differing extents, experienced set-backs in the procedure: Montenegro's candidacy has been blocked at a very early stage, Macedonia has been waiting since 2005 for accession talks to begin and the border dispute with Slovenia is upsetting Croatia's negotiations. With the next accession conference with Croatia having been postponed until 24 April, in the hope that, in the meantime, settlement of the border dispute will be found, Rehn will take stock of the latest progress with ministers. Austrian minister Michael Spindelegger, who held talks with this Croatian counterpart on the morning of the meeting, spoke of “steps forward” and said his optimism that a solution could be found had been confirmed. (A.B./transl.rt)