Four Finnish ministers to attend the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council
Government Communications Unit
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Defense
Press Release 136/2007
11 May 2007
The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will meet on 14 and 15 May in Brussels. Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen, Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies and Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors will represent Finland at the GAERC meeting.
The current Presidency country, Germany, will present its proposal for the agenda of the European Council meeting which will take place on 21 and 22 June. The main theme of the European Council meeting will be the reform of the EU's Constitutional Treaty. The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council will discuss the preparations for the European Council in its meeting on 18 June, too.
The Ministers will prepare the EU-Russia Summit that will take place in Samara, Russia, on 18 May. The summit will focus on EU-Russia relations and on key international and regional issues.
In relation to the Western Balkans, the Foreign Ministers will discuss Kosovo and Serbia. The UN Security Council will continue debate on the Kosovo status proposal put forward by the UN Special Envoy, Martti Ahtisaari. The aim is that the status solution be based on a new UN Security Council Resolution. Finland emphasises that the EU lend undivided support for the status proposal. The meeting will also discuss the situation with regard to the government formation talks in Serbia and support for the development of democracy in the country. Serbia has been unsuccessful in its attempts to form a new government after the parliamentary elections in January. According to the Serbian constitution, a new government must take office before 15 May. In the context of external relations, the ministers will also discuss cooperation in the Black Sea region, the Middle East Peace Process, Iran, Iraq, the strengthening of relations between the EU and the Arab League, Sudan and Somalia.
The EU Defence Ministers will meet in connection with the Council meeting. The ministers will discuss tightening of cooperation between the EU and UN in military crisis management, experience gained in the peace-keeping operation in the People’s Democratic Republic of Congo in support of the UN’s efforts, and the development of the EU’s Rapid Reaction. High Representative Javier Solana will report on the latest activities of the European Defence Agency. At their working lunch, the ministers will focus on the EU’s ALTHEA operation in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the security situation in the Western Balkans. They will also discuss the EU’s support for the African Union’s AMIS operation in Darfur, Sudan.
At their joint session, the EU Foreign and Defence Ministers will focus on the EU’s civilian crisis management operations in Afghanistan and Kosovo which are currently under preparation and the EU’s support for the reform of the security sector in the People's Democratic Republic of Congo.
The steering board of the European Defence Agency will hold a defence-minister-level meeting as part of the Council. The main theme of the meeting will be the strategy for the European Defence Technology and Industrial Base.
The Ministers of Development will discuss the implementation of the EU's pledges for development assistance on the basis, for example, of the Monterrey commitments adopted in 2002. Finland welcomes the fulfilment of the objectives set for the EU’s public development aid in 2006. Finland also considers it important that the commitments made at the June European Council in 2005 concerning development funding will be met both at the EU and national level.
The Development Ministers will also discuss the ongoing negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and ACP countries. Finland is of the opinion that the EPA agreements are to be regarded, primarily, as development instruments. The agreements should be broad-based and, in addition to issues concerning market access, focus on cooperation in other issues relevant to ACP countries’ economic structures and competitiveness. The ministers will also discuss the preparation of the EU’s strategy on trade issues and development cooperation and results of the Union's development cooperation and the related division of duties. They will also prepare the joint EU-Africa Strategy providing guidelines for cooperation between the EU and Africa.
Further information: Jari Luoto, State Under-Secretary for EU Affairs, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2180 (general affairs); Anne Huhtamäki, Counsellor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 6097 (external relations); Sinikka Antila, Head of Unit, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 6283 (development policy); Heli Siivola, Senior Research Officer, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 9 1608 8308 (defence policy); Erkki Aalto, Specialist, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 9 1608 8288 (European Defence Agency)