The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will be held on 30 January in Brussels. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I will represent the UK.

The agenda items are as follows:

General Affairs

Annual Operational Programme of the Council for 2006/Annual Work Programme of the Commission

Austrian Foreign Minister, Ursula Plassnik, will give a short presentation on the Annual Operational Programme of the Council 2006. The document forms the final part of the 2004–06 multi-annual strategic programme. There is clear continuity with the Luxembourg/UK programme for 2005 and the Government are supportive of it.

President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso will also present the Commission's Legislative and Work Programme 2006 (CLWP), published in October 2005. The CLWP follows from the Commission's Strategic Objectives 2005–09 and focuses on the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy—placing jobs, growth and better regulation at the centre of its programme. The Government support these aims.

Lisbon Strategy: Commission Annual Progress Report

The Commission will formally present its first Lisbon Annual Progress Report, assessing Member States' National Reform Programmes against "jobs and growth" objectives and highlighting priorities for further action. The Government will want to give clear support to the continued focus on jobs and growth.

External Relations

World Trade Organisation/Doha Development Agenda (WTO/DDA)

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson will brief the Council on progress in the WTO Round. This follows an informal EU Trade Ministers dinner on 29 Jan and meetings of key WTO Ministers in the margins of the World Economic Forum in Davos (25–29 Jan). We expect a short discussion without Conclusions.

Relations with the Western Balkans

Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn will present the Western Balkans Communication, which will form the basis of discussion at the Salzburg EU-Western Balkans Ministerial. The Council will also discuss Kosovo, in light of President Rugova's death on 21 January. The Council is expected to agree Conclusions on Bosnia, welcoming constitutional reform and Lord Ashdown's successor, and Montenegro, expressing support for Solana's Personal Representative, Ambassador Lajcak, as well as a statement on President Rugova's death. Conclusions are also expected to underline the continuing importance of full co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) by both Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Government welcome the EU-Western Balkans Ministerial as a chance to re-endorse the Thessaloniki messages of 2003 and focus on some hearts and minds initiatives to support the political process.

Latin America: Presentation of Commission Communication

Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner will present the Commission Communication "A stronger Partnership between the EU and Latin America". The Council is expected to agree Conclusions on this at the February GAERC. The Communication sets out a strategy for strengthening the relationship between the EU and Latin America, in terms that the Government broadly welcome.

Afghanistan

The Council is expected to have a short discussion about the London Conference on Afghanistan on 31 January– 1 February. This provides an opportunity for Afghanistan to seek, and to receive, international support and endorsement for the next five years. The Afghanistan Compact represents an excellent framework for activity going forward. The Council is expected to agree Conclusions confirming the EU's long term support for the Government and people of Afghanistan, welcoming the London Conference on Afghanistan and in particular the launch of the Afghanistan Compact. We also expect the Council to endorse "Recommendations for enhancing EU engagement with Afghanistan" and the Presidency's statement to be given at the London Conference.

Belarus

The Council will discuss the deterioration in human rights and democracy and the forthcoming presidential elections in Belarus. The Government remain concerned about the legitimacy of the 2004 referendum allowing the current President to stand for more than two terms and strongly supported November's GAERC Conclusions calling for free and fair elections. We welcome the invitation extended to OSCE/ODIHR to monitor the election process, and are keen that it should be able to function effectively throughout the election period. The Council is expected to agree Conclusions calling on Belarus to improve its record on human rights and democracy and expressing the EU's willingness to engage when the situation improves.

Middle East Peace Process (MEPP)

We expect Council discussion to focus on the outcome of the 25 January Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) elections, the changing political landscape in Israel in the run up to the 28 March elections and the implications for the MEPP. The Council is expected to agree Conclusions, which take into account the political situation in the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

Iran

The Council is expected to have a full discussion of handling of the forthcoming 2–3 February emergency International Atomic Energy Agency Board meeting, following Iran's decision to restart enrichment related activities, and likely next steps on the nuclear issue. The Council is expected to agree Conclusions.

Iraq

We expect that discussion will centre on the recent Iraqi election results and future EU-Iraq engagement. The Government will wish to stress the importance of EU JUSTLEX, support for the Constitutional Review, maintaining a political dialogue under the EU-Iraq Joint Political Declaration and progress towards the launch of negotiations on a Trade and Co-operation Agreement. The Council is expected to agree Conclusions.

Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)

The Presidency will seek agreement on the participation of senior representatives of Burma / Myanmar at upcoming ASEM meetings held in the EU. The Government support the ASEM process as a means of engaging with Asian states on a range of issues that matter to us. The Government will want to ensure that any agreement provides for a full and substantive discussion of the human rights situation in Burma/Myanmar at ASEM ministerial meetings.