The Western Balkans and Chad on the EU Council agenda
Government Communications Unit
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Press Release 46/2008
15 February 2008
The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will meet in Brussels on Monday, 18 February. Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva and Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors will attend the Council meeting.
The Council will discuss the situation in the Western Balkans, the key issue being the Kosovo status process. Finland’s aim is that the EU lends its undivided support to Kosovo’s declaration of independence which is expected to take place even before the Council meeting. The Council may also discuss issues related to EU operations in the area.
The Ministers will discuss the situation in Chad. The implementation of the crisis management operation adopted by the Council in January is to continue as part of the EU’s comprehensive support to the area. The focus is, in particular, on the protection of civilians and refugees and the enhancement of the security situation in the area to facilitate the arrival of humanitarian aid. The EU operation is based on decisions made by the UN and the development of the situation is monitored in cooperation with it. The European Commission supports the implementation of the UN police mission MINURCAT as well as humanitarian measures and recovery and reconstruction programmes in the area.
Discussions will also focus on the situation in Kenya. The Council is expected to present conclusions which reaffirm the EU’s full support for the mediation efforts of the Panel of Eminent African Personalities headed by Kofi Annan. The negotiations are, at the moment, in a conclusive stage.
The Council is extremely concerned about the situation in Burma/Myanmar and wishes to express that the EU keeps monitoring the situation very closely. Other issues related to external affairs will include the European Neighbourhood Policy, reports on the state of the Doha round of the WTO negotiations and the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreements with the ACP countries.
The Ministers will also discuss the European Council meeting to be held in Brussels on 13 and 14 March. Slovenia, holding the EU Presidency, will present the draft agenda for the European Council. Main themes will include the next three-year period of the Lisbon Strategy (2008-2010), climate and energy policy and stability of the financial markets. Topical external relations issues will be specified just before the meeting.
Finland finds the Lisbon Strategy’s current priority areas justified and supports the Presidency’s policy to focus on the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy. Particular emphasis should be placed on implementation in the fields that have been slow to deliver.
Further information: Jari Luoto, State Secretary for EU Affairs, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2180 and Mika Kaijamo, Counsellor, Project Assistant, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 6204 or +358 40 758 2002