EU Foreign Ministers to discuss the Western Balkans and the situation in the Middle East
Government Communications Unit
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Press release 22/2006
27 January 2006
The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) meets in Brussels on 30 January. The main themes of the meeting will be the Western Balkans and the situation in the Middle East. Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Mari Kiviniemi will represent Finland at the GAERC meeting.
Olli Rehn, Member of the European Commission, will present the Commission's communication on the Western Balkans to the Council. The communication was published on 27 January. The communication examines development in the Western Balkans since June 2003 and practical measures to draw the region closer to Europe. The Council will discuss, for example, a regional free trade agreement for the Western Balkans, flexibility in visa requirements and possibilities to improve student and research exchange. The Council will devote particular attention to the situation in Kosovo.
The Foreign Ministers will also discuss the Middle East Peace Process. The Council will consider the situation in the aftermath of the parliamentary elections by the Palestinian Authority and in the light of the elections to be held in Israel in March. Particular consideration will be given to the emergence of Hamas as a central political player in the Palestinian community.
The Council will also discuss the Iranian nuclear programme and prepare for the meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors that will be held on 2 and 3 February 2006. Iran has re-initiated research on the enrichment of uranium. The International Atomic Energy Agency will discuss the possibility of taking Iran's breach of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to the UN Security Council.
Other issues related to external affairs will include the state of the WTO talks after the ministerial conference in Hong Kong in December 2005. The Council will also discuss the recent development in Belarus prior to the elections that will take place on 19 March. Belarus has made a request for election observation. In addition, the Council will discuss EU-Iraq relations, the ASEM process between Europe and Asia, the situation in Afghanistan and the Commission's communication on Latin America.
Austria and Finland will present the jointly prepared Operational Programme of the Council for 2006 and the European Commission its own Legislative and Work Programme 2006. Both will be followed by public discussion. In the preparation for Finland's EU Presidency, we have emphasised the importance of streamlining the Council's and Commission's objectives. The Commission was closely involved in the preparation of the Council's annual programme.
The Commission will also submit its report assessing progress that the EU and its Member States have achieved in the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy. Finland considers it important that Europe use the opportunities brought about by globalisation and actively seek for new ways to succeed in global competition. The Union must focus on activities that promote growth and employment. Legislation aiming at the opening of the services market and joint measures to increase innovations are good examples of the work needed.
Further information: Jari Luoto, State Under-Secretary for EU Affairs, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2182, and Anne Huhtamäki, Counsellor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Department for Europe, tel. +358 9 1605 6097