COMMON STRATEGY ON RUSSIA: PORTUGUESE
PRESIDENCY WORK PLAN
(20949)
6004/00
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Draft Presidency Work Plan for the implementation of the EU Common Strategy on Russia.
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| Legal base: |
— |
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| Department: |
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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| Basis of consideration:
| EM of 14 February 2000
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| Previous Committee Report:
| None |
| To be discussed in Council:
| No date set. To be taken as an 'A'point
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| Committee's assessment:
| Politically important |
| Committee's decision:
| Cleared |
Introduction
9.1 On our recommendation[30],
the Common Strategy on Russia was tagged to a debate in European
Standing Committee B on 19 May 1999 on Assistance to the Newly
Independent States (NIS) and Mongolia[31].
The Work Plan
9.2 The Common Strategy on Russia requires
each Presidency to prepare a work plan for implementing the Strategy.
The Portuguese work plan is presented in the form of an "I/A"
Item Note to COREPER/Council[32]
and is valid until the end of the Portuguese term though, as noted
in it, it is subject to revision in the light of developments
at any time during that period.
9.3 The Portuguese comment that the work
plan is based on areas of action identified in the Common Strategy
and on specific initiatives launched by the former Presidency
which are now in progress. It focusses on actions to:
- strengthen the rule of law, public institutions
and civil society;
- promote political and security dialogue with
the objective of co-operating to strengthen stability and security
in Europe and beyond; and to
9.4 Under these and several other headings
specific actions are listed, some couched in very general terms,
others referring to more narrowly defined objectives. Amongst
the latter is a reference to exploring, in response to a Russian
request, the scope for EU action in co-operation with international
organisations such as the OSCE/ODIHR[33],
in support of the efficient conduct of free and fair Presidential
elections, namely through sending observers. More general actions
include co-operation to strengthen stability and security in Europe
and beyond:
"... by developing the
necessary legal, institutional and judicial framework for the
effective prosecution of organised crime, especially in the areas
of money laundering, illegal economic activity and trafficking
in human beings, as provided for in the Tampere Conclusions."
— Chechnya
9.5 The work plan takes due account, according
to the Portuguese Presidency Note, of the Declaration of the European
Council of Helsinki on Chechnya, referred to in the Helsinki Conclusions[34]
which called for the implementation of the Strategy to be reviewed.
The Government's view
9.6 The Minister of State at the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office (Mr Vaz) also comments, in his Explanatory
Memorandum of 14 February, that the work plan has been updated
to reflect the reaction of the EU to the situation in Chechnya,
both at Helsinki and at the 24/25 January General Affairs Council[35].
9.7 The Minister says that the Government
intends to use the political dialogue mechanisms in the Common
Strategy to continue to convey firm messages on Chechnya. The
areas on which the work plan focusses are all those in which the
Government wishes to see co-operation with Russia continue.
Conclusion
9.8 We have not seen an earlier version
of the work plan, though according to the Presidency Note one
was prepared and implemented by the Finnish Presidency. However,
we note that this version includes an action to intensify "the
dialogue and possible co-operation in the framework of OSCE, namely
on developments in Chechnya".
9.9 We clear this document but ask the
Minister to ensure that in future Presidency work plans for implementation
of the Common Strategies and any progress reports on implementation,
such as that prepared by the Finnish Presidency for the Helsinki
European Council, are deposited in Parliament, and appropriate
Explanatory Memoranda submitted.
30 (20084) - ; see HC 34-xix (1998-99), paragraph 13
(12 May 1999). Back
31 Official
Report, European Standing
Committee B, 19 May 1999. Back
32 That
is, for information only on the COREPER agenda and for approval
without discussion in Council. Back
33 Organisation
for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights. Back
34 Presidency
Conclusions, Helsinki European Council 10 and 11 December 1999,
paragraph 57. Back
35 See
Council Press Release: 5046/00 (Presse 10), page 12. Back
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