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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Ministerial Meetings
Mr. David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have put in place for the taking and keeping of minutes of meetings between Ministers and people outside his Department. [102379]
Mr. Robin Cook: Decisions on the format of minutes of meetings will depend on the nature of the discussion.
General Affairs Council
Mr. Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the General Affairs Council held in Brussels on 6 and 7 December; and if he will make a statement. [102349]
Mr. Vaz: 1. The General Affairs Council on 6 and 7 December adopted 25 A points and noted the resolutions, decisions and opinions adopted by the European Parliament in its sessions of 3-4 November (listed in document no 12476/99) and 15-19 November (listed in document no 12791/99). Copies of the documents listing the A points and the resolutions will be placed in the House Libraries.
European Defence Policy
2. The Council agreed two reports by the Presidency for the Helsinki European Council on military and non-military crisis management, as the basis for further work leading to final decisions at the end of 2000. They build on agreement at the Cologne European Council, providing a strong focus on improving capabilities, making clear that the EU will act where the Alliance as a whole is not engaged, providing a solid basis for further development of EU-NATO relations and the involvement of non-EU European NATO Allies; and setting up interim arrangements to take forward detailed work on implementation.
Common Strategies
3. The Council agreed an EU Common Strategy on Ukraine, to be put to Heads of Government at the Helsinki European Council for adoption. It also took note of a Presidency report to the Helsinki European Council on the implementation of the Russia Common Strategy.
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Enlargement
4. The Council had a wide-ranging discussion of enlargement in preparation for the Helsinki European Council. There was wide consensus that the EU should:
IGC
6. The Presidency set out the main elements of its preparatory report on the IGC.
Council Reform
7. The Council took note of the Presidency's draft report on reform of the Council of Ministers.
Negotiations on a Development Partnership with ACPs
8. The Council agreed that the volume of the ninth European Development Fund would increase to 13.8 billion Euros, shared among member states on the same basis as for the eighth Fund.
Draft Statute for MEPs
9. The Presidency reported to the Council that negotiations on a Statute for MEPs were moving slowly.
European Parliament Electoral Procedure
10. The Council discussed Common Electoral Principles. No agreement was reached on outstanding issues, notably the enfranchisement of Gibraltar, on which the UK made it clear its intention to comply with the European Court of Human Rights Ruling of 18 February 1999. Other outstanding issues are dates for the next European elections, and provisions to rule out dual mandates in member states.
Chechnya
11. The Council reiterated its deep concern over the intensifying military campaign in Chechnya, in particular the threat to citizens of Grozny. It urged the Russian Government to refrain from using excessive force and to respect the principles of international law.
12. The Council welcomed the Istanbul Summit Declaration. It expected that the Russian Federation would honour fully its commitments there. The Council looked forward to the visit to the region by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on 14-15 December. It recalled that a political solution was essential and that the OSCE could contribute to that goal. Ministers urged that a dialogue be established with the elected leaders of the North Caucasus, including Chechnya. The Council called upon the Russian government to provide security for humanitarian aid operations os that international aid agencies could help victims of the war.
Western Balkans
13. The Council decided to intensify co-operation with democratic forces in the FRY, including trilateral meetings involving the United States and in the form of task forces or other consultative mechanisms. The Union
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resolved to maintain or strengthen the sanctions targeted at the regime, while keeping the issue of sanctions under review; and to support measures aimed at alleviating the situation of the people of the FRY. The Council demanded that the blocked oil deliveries be allowed to go through, and denounced the Yugoslav authorities for imposing further suffering on the population. The Council recalled that, while legal responsibility lies with the FRY, it was prepared to examine a possible EU contribution to clearing the Danube on the basis of a concrete proposal by the Danube Commission and an analysis by the European Commission. An extension of the Visa Ban List was agreed.
14. The Council anticipated an early assessment by the Commission of the situation in Montenegro and invited the Commission to submit concrete proposals as soon as possible to meet Montenegro's needs. The Council also welcomed the intention of the Commission to include the fight against organised crime in Kosovo in its year 2000 assistance programme and invited member states to provide bilateral assistance.
15. The Council discussed the forthcoming elections in Croatia and expressed regret that these would not be held on a date corresponding to general European practices.
16. The Council welcomed the positive developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and looked forward to early implementation of commitments made by the Joint Presidency in New York on 15 December.
17. The Council discussed the recent elections in Macedonia, including re-runs in certain constituencies, and took note of the OSCE/ODIHR assessment that the election process was generally carried out in a satisfactory manner although some irregularities were experienced.
Transparency/Openness
18. The Council welcomed the joint Swedish/Danish initiative to improve transparency and public access to documents into the EU.
Mr. Chope:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what statutory authority staff at British embassies within the European Union are able to purchase alcohol duty-free. [102769]
Mr. Hain:
Article 36(1) of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations obliges the receiving State to permit entry of, and grant exemption from all customs duties, taxes and related charges on, articles for the official use of the diplomatic mission and articles for the personal use of a diplomatic agent or members of his/her family forming part of the household. The matter in which that obligation is transposed into domestic law is a matter for each individual State Party to the Convention. In the UK Article 36 of the Convention has the force of law by virtue of the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964.
Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on the purchase and use of peat for its own operations and activities; and what performance targets his Department has set to reduce current peat use. [103016]
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Mr. Hain:
Our policy is that the use of peat should be avoided and manures, coir, bark chippings and organic fertilizers used instead.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of current diplomatic relations with Russia; and if he will make a statement. [103189]
Mr. Vaz:
The main focus on our current relations with Russia is Chechnya and our concerns about the human cost of military action there. The European Council on 10-11 December agreed to freeze some EU assistance to Russia as a signal that it cannot be business as usual while indiscriminate use of force continues. We are continuing to press the Russians to seek a political solution, making use of the good offices of the OSCE.
The UK continues to seek a closer working relationship with Russia and to do all that we can to help it build a democratic and stable Russia that is engaged with the outside world. That must remain the right strategic policy goal.
Mr. Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which articles of the treaties of the (a) European Union and (b) European Communities which require unanimity have been proposed for amendment in favour of qualified majority voting; in which cases Her Majesty's Government agrees with such a change; and where unanimity applies to change by the Council of Ministers of decisions already taken by another Institution established by those treaties. [103134]
Mr. Vaz:
The IGC will not begin until early next year. As a result no formal proposals have yet been put forward for Treaty amendment. The Government have made its position clear on numerous occasions. We shall consider the extension of QMV on a case by case basis. Where it is in Britain's interests we shall support it. But where key national interests need to be protected, such as border controls, defence, Treaty change and taxation, we shall insist on retaining unanimity.
invite all six further countries (Malta, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania) to open negotiations next year;
enhance the principle of "differentiation" within negotiations, so that the best prepared candidates can make progress as fast as they can, based on merit;
maintain the momentum of progress with countries already negotiating (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Cyprus and Estonia), by opening all remaining chapters in negotiations as early as possible in 2000;
have the institutional reforms necessary for enlargement in place in 2002.
5. Ministers also discussed ideas for the development of EU/Turkey relations.
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