EU Foreign Ministers´ informal Gymnich-meeting in Genval on 8-9.9.

The EU foreign ministers gather for their informal meeting ( so called Gymnich-meeting) in Genval, Belgium, on September 8-9. Finland will be represented by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja.
The main topics of the meeting will be the situation in the Middle East, Macedonia and the future of the European Union.

The ministers will discuss the serious situation of the Middle East peace process. They will consider means available for the EU and the international community to support stopping the present spiral of violence. The continuously worsening economical, social and humanitarian situation of the Palestinians causes also concern and increases instability. In Finland´s opinion it is important to rapidly improve the security situation and quickly actuate confidence building measures on the basis of the Mitchell fact finding report.

In Macedonia the stabilisation of the situation is topical. Finland regards it as important that a strong international presence in Macedonia is quaranteed even after the end of the NATO arms gathering operation.

The discussion on the future of the EU is expected to deal with the way how the next intergovernmental conference, to be held in 2004, should be prepared. Finland´s aim is to make the preparation for the IGC, which is going to change the basic agreements, as open as possible. The EU Summit in December in Laeken is going to agree on the manner of the preparations for the IGC. According to Finland, it should be developed in a way that enables listening to a wide spectrum of opinions. The EU foreign ministers will also discuss this matter with the foreign ministers of the applicant countries on Sunday, September 9.

More information: Europe Correspondent Juha Virtanen, tel 040 594 5239 or Special Adviser to the Foreign Minister Piritta Asunmaa, tel 040 754 4403.