The EU Council to discuss Kosovo and the situation in Africa
Government Communications Unit
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Press Release 21/2008
25 January 2008
The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will meet in Brussels on Monday, 28 January. Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors will represent Finland at the meeting.
In its meeting, the Council will discuss the situation in Kosovo. The second round of the Serbian presidential elections, to be held on 3 February, and EU-Serbia relations will also be on the agenda. An EU-Serbia Troika meeting will take place in connection with the Council meeting. The Troika meeting is to discuss the Commission’s plan to open dialogue with the countries in the region on the possibility of visa exemption. As regards Kosovo, Finland has emphasised the Union’s unity and rapid settlement of the status question.
Discussion on key African issues will focus on the situation in Sudan and Chad and on the events following the presidential elections in Kenya. Finland expresses its concern at the recent developments in Sudan/Darfur and in the eastern parts of Chad and considers that the EU operation is a valuable contribution to the EU’s and the whole international community’s support measures to resolve the Darfur crisis and prevent the regional escalation of the conflict. With regard to Kenya, Finland underlines the importance of political dialogue to achieve a peaceful solution and prevent a new surge of violence.
The Council is also to discuss the Middle East Peace Process in the aftermath of the Annapolis peace conference. In Finland’s opinion, the EU should support President Mahmud Abbas’s administration and peace negotiations between Abbas and the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert. The Ministers will also discuss possible further EU sanctions on Iran and the unstable situation in Lebanon.
The Council will also devote attention to the internal situation in Pakistan, the opposition leader Benazir Bhutto’s murder and subsequent investigation, and the EU’s election observation mission. Finland considers that the events, development and stability of Pakistan are of importance to the neighbouring regions, too. The development of, in particular, Afghanistan is linked to the situation in Pakistan.
EU Ministers for European Affairs will discuss EU communications over a working lunch.
Further information: Mika Kaijamo, Counsellor, Project Assistant, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 6204 or +358 40 758 2002 and Peggy Heikkinen, Special Adviser, Ministry of the Interior, tel. +358 9 1604 3511 or +358 50 456 0808