EU foreign ministers prepare for the March European Council and discuss the situation in the Western Balkans

Government Communications Unit
Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Press release 87/2006
17 March, 2006

The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will convene in Brussels on 20 March. The main topics of the meeting will be preparations for the March European Council and the situation in the Western Balkans. Finland will be represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Paula Lehtomäki.

The Foreign Ministers will prepare for the European Council convening in Brussels on 23-24 March. The spring meeting will review progress in implementation of the Lisbon strategy, which was initiated in 2000. The strategy was revised in spring 2005 by concentrating on measures to promote growth and employment. The March Council will be the first to monitor implementation of the revised strategy in the Member States and at Union level. Austria, the current Presidency, will propose that the Council approve a number of special measures in three areas of priority. The measures to be carried out by the end of 2007 would concentrate on investment in knowledge and innovation, on support for SMEs, and on increasing employment opportunities. Prime Minister Vanhanen has been requested to address the Council on the theme of knowledge and innovations.

Energy issues will also be a focus of attention at the European Council. Finland considers a review of energy policy and an overall assessment both timely and important. In recent years, the challenges of the energy sector have increased and further measures in the Union are justified. Finland emphasizes that development of a new energy policy should take into account a balance between the three main goals, security of supplies, competitiveness, and sustainable energy. Likewise, the division of authority between the Member States and the Union should be preserved.

The Council may also have a second discussion of the agreement between the EU institutions regarding funding frameworks.

In external issues, the Council will discuss the situation in the Western Balkans. The Foreign Ministers will attempt to accelerate reforms in Bosnia-Herzegovina, which are a prerequisite for concluding an Association and Stabilisation Agreement (ASA) with the EU. The talks are scheduled for completion during 2006. The political actors in Bosnia-Herzegovina must agree on the issues of constitutional reform that remain open. While the Association and Stabilisation Agreement does not depend on the reform, in practice it will be necessary for development of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s relations with the EU. With respect to Serbia and Montenegro, the emphasis remains on full cooperation with the ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia) in the territory of the former Yugoslavia. The Council will also discuss progress in talks concerning the status of Kosovo.

With respect to the Middle East Peace Process, the Foreign Ministers will continue discussions of EU aid programmes to the Palestinian Authority and on how the EU should handle its relations with Hamas.

Iran’s nuclear programme will also be discussed. Iran has repeatedly taken new steps in the development of its programme without regard for the resolutions of the IAEA. Discussion of Iran’s nuclear programme in the UN Security Council started at the beginning of March after the meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors. Finland continues to consider a diplomatic solution important.

The Council will also discuss the situation in Iraq. The aim is to approve the negotiation mandate for a trade and cooperation agreement between the EU and Iraq. Finland supports gradual development of closer cooperation between the EU and Iraq in accordance with the EU’s Iraq strategy and supports the start of talks on trade and cooperation with Iraq.

A review of the WTO round is also on the agenda. The Ministers will discuss progress in the round and the Union’s strategy after the meeting of the key parties to the talks in London in March. Since no progress was made in London, achieving results by the end of the year seems to be more and more challenging. In Finland’s view, the opportunity offered by the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference to further the round of talks should be exploited and the talks should be brought to a conclusion on an accelerated schedule.

The Council will also discuss possible conversion of the ongoing AMIS peacekeeping operation of the African Union in the Darfur region of Sudan into a UN-led operation. The EU supports the plan.

Further information: Jari Luoto, State Under-Secretary for EU Affairs, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2182, and Stefan Lee, attaché, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5438.