General Affairs and External Relations Council

Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs written statement – made at on 10 May 2007.

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Photo of Geoff Hoon Geoff Hoon Minister of State (Europe), Foreign & Commonwealth Office

The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) will be held on 14 and 15 May in Brussels. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I will represent the UK. The Minister of State with responsibility for defence equipment and support, Lord Drayson, will also attend the Defence Ministers' discussions on 14 May, while Sir John Grant (UK permanent representative to the EU) will take the chair for the Development Ministers' discussions on 15 May.

The agenda items are as follows:

Foreign Ministers

General Affairs

Preparation of the European Council on 21-22 June

The Council will discuss the presidency's draft annotated agenda for the 21-22 June European Council. The main topic for the European Council will be the constitutional treaty. But we expect it also to cover a number of justice and home affairs and economic and social issues, including strengthening police co-operation and climate change. There is also likely to be discussion of topical foreign policy issues.

External Relations

World Trade Organisation

The Commission is expected to update the Council on its latest contacts on the WTO/Doha round.

Sudan

The Council is expected to discuss recent developments in Sudan. Although the Government of Sudan have accepted the second phase of the UN support for the African Union peacekeeping force, they have yet to accept the third phase, a hybrid African Union/UN force. The conclusions of the April GAERC maintain EU pressure on Khartoum to accept the full African Union/UN peacekeeping force as well as the ceasefire and reinvigorated political process agreed in Addis Ababa last November.

The Government are also urging EU and other international partners to address the gaps in funding for the African Union mission in Sudan.

Somalia

The Government welcome EU action in the region in support of the African Union mission to Somalia and the proposed Reconciliation Congress. The Council is expected to adopt conclusions stressing the importance of implementing UNSCR 1744 to address the political, security and humanitarian challenges in Somalia.

Preparation of the EU-Russia Summit

The Council is expected to discuss EU-Russia relations and preparations for the EU-Russia summit in Samara on 17 and 18 May.

Black Sea Region

Romania has asked to discuss the Black Sea region. The Government broadly support the Commission's Black Sea strategy, which gives an overview of the policy challenges in the region, the EU's approach to the region and proposes co-operation with regional organisations.

Iran

The High-Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana is expected to brief the Council on his recent meeting with Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council on 25 April. The presidency is also expected to brief the Council on the E3+3 (Germany, France, UK, US, Russia and China) political directors meeting on 2 May. This was the latest in a series of exchanges on Iran, and expressed strong agreement on the way ahead, reflecting shared concerns about Iran's non-compliance with International Atomic and Energy Agency Board and Security Council requirements.

Iraq

The presidency is expected to update the Council on the Iraq neighbours conference and the launch of the international compact in Sharm el-Sheikh on 3-4 May. The Government have urged EU support for Iraq's efforts to build constructive relationships with its neighbours.

Arab League Initiative

Malta has asked to discuss engagement with the Arab League on regional issues. The Government support the presidency's proposal to organise an EU troika meeting with representatives from the Arab League in Berlin in the coming months.

Middle East Peace Process

The Council is expected to discuss the Quartet's meeting with the Arab League on 4 May and ways to build on increasing Arab involvement. The Council is also likely to discuss the political situation in Israel following the Winograd inquiry and ways to build the capacity of Palestinian institutions, including the re-engagement of the EUPOL COPPS (the EU's police mission in the Palestinian territories), which the Government support as a key to success in the wider political process.

Western Balkans

We expect the Council to discuss Kosovo and Serbia.

The February Council conclusions set out the EU's support for former President Ahtisaari's proposals on Kosovo's status and make the restart of stabilisation and association agreement talks with Serbia conditional upon concrete action by a new Serb Government on co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. The Government fully support this position.

The Council is expected to adopt conclusions welcoming the establishment of the regional co-operation council. If a Government is formed in Belgrade, the Council may also adopt conclusions on Serbia.

International Moratorium on the Death Penalty

Italy has asked to discuss EU action to promote a global moratorium and eventual abolition of the death penalty. The Government fully support work towards this important EU objective.

Joint Session of Foreign Ministers and Defence Ministers

European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) Mission in Kosovo

We expect the Council to discuss co-ordination arrangements between the head of the planned ESDP mission and the EU special representative in Kosovo as well as coordination between the EU and NATO. The Government will want to reiterate the importance of continued EU unity on the Kosovo final status process as expressed in the conclusions of the February GAERC.

European Security and Defence Policy Mission in Afghanistan

The Council is expected to discuss a civilian European Security and Defence Policy mission to Afghanistan in policing with links to the wider rule of law. This is likely to be launched in Kabul on 15 June. The Government strongly support the mission as an important contribution to stability and development in Afghanistan.

Security Sector Reform in the Democratic Republic of Congo

The Council is expected to discuss progress on security sector reform in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Much of the Government's support in this sector is channelled through the EU security sector reform advisory mission (EUSEC Congo) and the EU police mission to Kinshasa (EUPOL Kinshasa). With the formation of a new Government, the EU is seeking to modify the mandates of the two missions to ensure that support is in line with the needs of the Congolese. The Government hope that in the future the two missions will combine to look at the security sector as a whole.

Defence Ministers

Operations

Military aspects of EU/UN Co-operation

The presidency is expected to report on the outcome of a seminar on "Military Aspects of EU/UN Co-operation in Crisis Management, in the Light of EUFOR RD Congo" (the EU military mission which provided support to the UN during the 2006 election period in the Democratic Republic of Congo). The Council is expected to adopt conclusions expressing the EU's commitment to further strengthening co-operation with the UN. The Government support this commitment. Improving the EU's ability to cooperate with key international organisations, including the UN, is key to achieving the effective multilateral system, referred to in the European security strategy, for dealing with crises on a global basis.

Lessons Learned from EUFOR RD Congo

The Council is expected to discuss the lessons learned from EUFOR RD Congo. The Government support ongoing work to address the lessons learnt and believe this process will be a valuable contribution leading to improvements in future mission planning.

Western Balkans

High-Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana is expected to brief the Council on the ongoing reconfiguration of EUFOR ALTHEA, the EU military mission in Bosnia. The Government are pleased that the improved security situation has allowed the EU to reduce its level of forces, reflecting the considerable achievements of the international community in Bosnia.

AMIS (Sudan/Darfur)

The Council is expected to discuss the situation in Sudan/Darfur, and to adopt conclusions reaffirming support for the African Union mission in Sudan and underlining the urgency of transition to a full African Union/UN hybrid mission.

European Defence Agency

The head of the agency will present his report to the Council on the agency's activities in the previous and current year. The Council is expected to adopt conclusions noting the report and welcoming progress made. The Government support the work done by the agency over the reporting period.

Military Capabilities

Rapid Response

The Council is expected to discuss ongoing work on a possible revision of the EU military rapid response concept, based on a tri-presidency (Germany, Portugal, Slovenia) "Food for Thought" paper. The Council is expected to adopt conclusions noting that the Battlegroups initiative has achieved full operational capability from 1 January 2007. The Government support efforts to improve the EU's ability to react quickly to an emerging crisis, and are pleased with the progress of the Battlegroups initiative, championed during the UK presidency in 2005.

Headline Goal Process

The presidency is expected to update the Council on progress made on the headline goal process to strengthen European defence capabilities. The Government strongly support this work. Improving military capabilities of EU member states is a key objective of the European security and defence policy, and we welcome progress in the work conducted by the EU military staff and headline goal taskforce.

Capability Development Plan

The European Defence Agency will update the Council on progress on the capability development plan. The Government believe this is important work, which has the potential to provide the necessary link between the EU planning process and long-term capability work being conducted by the European Defence Agency.

Progress Report

The presidency will submit a report to the Council, setting out the progress made on military capability development over the last six months. The Council is expected to note this in the conclusions.

Development Ministers

Aid for Trade and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)

The Council is expected to discuss a communication on a future Joint Commission/member states' strategy for delivering effective aid for trade commitments. The strategy will include a roadmap for the delivery of the Commission's and member states' commitments to each increase trade related assistance to €1 billion by 2010 (€2 billion in total). The Council will also be invited to discuss progress in negotiations on economic partnership agreements (EPAs). The Council is also expected to adopt conclusions. The Government will be urging donors to empower developing countries to demand increased aid for trade and will work to ensure that the EU market access offer is not diluted.

Complementarity and Division of Labour

The Council is expected to discuss aid effectiveness, and adopt conclusions on a voluntary code of conduct to promote complementarity and improved division of labour arrangements between member states and the Commission. The Government welcome the code of conduct but stress the need for arrangements to be flexible and practice-orientated.

Implementation of the Monterrey commitments

The Council is expected to review the implementation of commitments on financing for development (Monterrey), including monitoring the increase of both Community and member states' official development assistance (ODA). The Government are keen that the Council promotes the use of national timetables to achieve ODA targets.

Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries-EU Cooperation

The presidency is expected to brief the Council on progress on the EU-Africa strategy and adopt conclusions establishing a new EU-Africa energy partnership at the EU-Africa summit in December 2007. The Council is also expected to approve the agenda and Council positions for the EC-ACP Council of Ministers meeting on 25 May.

Madagascar Action Plan

The Government of Madagascar have recently completed a poverty-reduction strategy—the Madagascar action plan. There will be a discussion of lessons learned.

Afghanistan

The German Development Minister is expected to update the Council on her recent visit to Afghanistan. The UN special representative for Afghanistan and the Afghan Finance Minster are expected to be present for the discussion. The Government welcome the focus on development support for Afghanistan.