Capabilities Conference parallels the meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers
Government Information Unit
Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Defence
Press release 374/2004
19 November, 2004
The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council meets on 22 and 23 November in Brussels. The meeting will be paralleled with the Capabilities Conference attended by the Member States' Defence Ministers. The Member States will announce their commitment to the EU's battle groups at the Conference. Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja and Defence Minister Seppo Kääriäinen will represent Finland at the meetings.
Member States have prepared the offers they will make at the Conference in mutual negotiations. The Conference will submit a declaration which will include an annex of the capabilities offered by the Member States. Finland will announce that it is ready to participate in two battle groups. One of the battle groups will be established in cooperation with Germany and the Netherlands and this battle group could be at standby as of 1 January 2007. The second battle group will be formed together with Sweden and possibly with Norway. This battle group would be ready to serve the Union during the first half of 2008. The Civilian Capabilities Conference will also be organised in connection with the Council meeting.
The Foreign Ministers will prepare the European Council that will take place on 16 and 17 December and discuss the preliminary agenda of the meeting. The main themes will include enlargement, fight against terrorism, Financial Framework, the new EU Drugs Strategy 2005-2012 in the field of Justice and Home Affairs and external affairs.
The Foreign Ministers will also discuss the progress report drafted by the Presidency country on the negotiations on the EU's Financial Framework for the period of 2007-2013. The progress report covers all items in the proposal for the Financial Framework. Its contents are based on general positions put forward by the Member States. Finland finds the Presidency's report on progress satisfying for its main part. Finland has particular aims that emphasise the wholeness of the negotiations on the financial framework and that nationally important views must also be considered in external relations programmes. The Council will also hold the first discussion on the Commission's proposals concerning the financing of external relations programmes.
In the context of external relations, the Foreign Ministers will discuss the relations between the EU and Iran now that Iran has announced it will stop activities related to the enriching and reprocessing of uranium. Iran's decision is part of the package on long-term cooperation agreed upon with Germany, France and the United Kingdom on 14 November. Finland is of the opinion that Iran must fully and unconditionally comply with the resolution of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and clarify any questions that still remain open. Negotiations on long-term cooperation with Iran can be initiated provided that the IAEA verifies that Iran has suspended the agreed activities.
The Foreign Ministers will also discuss the Middle East Peace Process in the aftermath of the death of Yasser Arafat. The EU will make every effort to utilise the opened possibility to revitalise the peace process. The aim is still to implement the vision of two states according to which a viable, contiguous and sovereign Palestinian state is to be established to the side of Israel under the roadmap. In addition to providing political support, the EU will take concrete measures in line with, e.g., the plan of action put forward by High Representative Javier Solana in early November. Finland stresses that the new Palestinian leadership must have electoral legitimacy as soon as possible.
The meeting will also discuss, e.g., the EU's contribution at the UN follow-up meeting on the Millennium Development Goals in 2005 and other development cooperation issues.
Further information: Jari Luoto, State Under-Secretary for EU Affairs, Government Secretariat for EU Affairs, tel. +358 9 1602 2182, Kare Halonen, Director General, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5044, Elina Kalkku, Head of Unit, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5480, Mari Eteläpää, Special Researcher, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 9 1608 8175 and Jyrki Iivonen, Director for Public Policy, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 9 1608 8200