General Affairs Council to Discuss Gothenburg Summit, EU-US Relations and Middle East Peace Process.

Preparations for the forthcoming meeting of the European Council will be on the agenda of the EU’s General Affairs Council at its meeting on Monday, 11 June, in Luxemburg. The meeting of the EU Council will take place on 15-16 June in Gothenburg. It will consider the issues of EU enlargement, sustainable development, the common security and defence policy, conflict prevention, and will discuss future developments and current international questions.

The aim of the Swedish Presidency is to build on the progress reached in the negotiations on enlargement. The Gothenburg Council will also deal with the attention given by the different areas of EU policy to a strategy for ecologically, economically and socially sustainable development. Economic and social questions of sustainable development have already been dealt with at the Stockholm summit – now it’s the turn of environment.

Relations between the EU and the United States are also on the agenda at Gothenburg. Leaders of EU member states will meet US President George W Bush on Thursday, 14 June. The aim is that the EU-US summit will adopt a common statement, the main theme of which will be the renewal of the new transatlantic agenda which is the basis of EU-US relations. This is designed to make cooperation between the EU and US more effective.

The General Afairs Council will also consider the Middle East peace process. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat has recently issued a clear statement that pledges the use of all means to end violence. It is nevertheless reckoned that a new wave of violence is likely. It is important that in the coming days the cease fire is strengthened. It is expected that peace process can advance on the basis of the Mitchell report accordingly, with a cease fire, a period of calming down, actions to increase confidence, and a return to negotiations. Javier Solana, the EU’s high representative, and Sweden’s prime minister Göran Persson are visiting the region during the weekend before the General Affairs Council meets. The EU’s short term aim is to further the commitment of the two sides to putting the cease fire on a firm base, including the prevention of terrorist attacks.

The discussion in the General Affairs Council of the Western Balkans will be dominated by the question of Macedonia (FYROM), about which Solana will present a review of the situation. The discussion may also include Southern Serbia and the stabilisation and association processes of the countries in the region.

Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and Foreign Trade Minister Kimmo Sasi will take part in the meeting.