GENERAL AFFAIRS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS
COUNCIL, FEBRUARY 2007
Letter from Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP, Minister
for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to the Chairman
The General Affairs and External Relations Council
(GAERC) took place on 12 February in Brussels. My Right Honourable
Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
(Mrs. Margaret Beckett) and Sir John Grant (UK Permanent Representative
to the EU) represented the UK.
The agenda items were as follows:
GENERAL AFFAIRS
Preparation of the European Council on 8/9 March
The Council took note of the annotated draft
agenda prepared by the Presidency for the European Council in
Brussels on 8 and 9 March.
The European Council will focus on the Lisbon
strategy for jobs and growth; the EU's Better Regulation initiative
and an integrated energy and climate policy.
The Presidency will use the annotated draft
agenda as the basis for the draft European Council Conclusions.
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
World Trade Organisation
The Council exchanged views on the basis of
a presentation by Commissioner Peter Mandelson on prospects for
the Doha Development Agenda negotiations.
The Council also adopted Conclusions underlining
the importance of a successful conclusion to the revision of the
Government Procurement Agreement.
Western Balkans
The Council discussed Serbia in light of recent
elections and Kosovo on the basis of a presentation by UN Special
Envoy Martti Ahtisaari, of his draft status settlement proposals.
The Council adopted Conclusions on Serbia recalling
its Conclusions of 3 October 2005 and welcoming the Commission's
readiness to resume negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association
Agreement with a new government in Belgrade provided it shows
clear commitment and takes concrete action for full cooperation
with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.
The Council adopted Conclusions on Kosovo: expressing
full support for the UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari and his
efforts in conducting the political process to determine Kosovo's
future status; underlining that the proposals create the basis
for Kosovo's sustainable economic and political development and
for strengthening the stability of the entire region; urging Belgrade
and Pristina to participate actively and constructively in the
political process and expressing the EU's readiness to play a
role in the implementation of the status settlement.
Sudan
The Council adopted Conclusions expressing concern
at the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in Darfur,
reiterating its demand that all parties refrain from any form
of violence and denouncing in particular the bombing of areas
in Northern Darfur by the Sudanese Air Force.
The Conclusions also welcome the agreement between
the African Union (AU) and UN on the support package for the African
Union Mission in Sudan and call on the Sudanese Government to
cooperate with the deployment of the hybrid AU/UN force.
Somalia
The Council adopted Conclusions welcoming the
Transitional Federal Government's commitment to launch an inter-Somali
dialogue and reaffirming the EU's willingness to assist the African
Union Mission in Somalia and reconstruction efforts in Somalia.
Afghanistan
The Presidency briefed the Council on the EU-Afghanistan
Troika meeting on 29 January and the Joint Coordination and Monitoring
Board meetings on 30 and 31 January 2007.
The Council adopted Conclusions approving the
Crisis Management Concept for a mission to Afghanistan under the
European Defence and Security Policy, in the field of policing
with links to the wider rule of law.
Iran
The Presidency and the High Representative for
the Common and Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, briefed
the Council on their contacts with Iran's national security adviser,
Ali Larijani, in Munich on 11 February.
The Council agreed a draft common position on
restrictive measures against Iran. The draft common position will
ensure the effective implementation in the EU of UN Security Council
Resolution 1737 by imposing inter alia a ban on the supply of
certain goods and technology related to Iran's nuclear and missile
programme; a visa ban against persons and a freeze of assets against
persons and entities listed in UNSCR 1737 and other persons or
entities associated with these programmes; and a requirement to
prevent specialised teaching or training of Iranian national in
disciplines related to these fields.
Middle East Peace Process
The Council exchanged views on the Mecca agreement
of 8 February to form a National Unity Government. The Foreign
Secretary briefed the Council on her recent visit to the region
and her telephone calls with President Abbas and Saudi Arabia's
Prince Saud.
The Council adopted Conclusions welcoming the
agreement to form a National Unity Government, reiterating the
EU's willingness to work with a government that adopts a platform
reflecting the Quartet principles, and welcoming the reinvigorated
Quartet and their statements of 2 and 9 February.
The Council also adopted Conclusions on Lebanon
welcoming the success of the Paris III conference on 25 January
2007, urging parties to refrain from violence and calling for
full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Libya
Following the adoption of Conclusions on 22
January, the Council discussed EU handling of the case of the
five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor sentenced to death
in Libya for allegedly infecting children with HIV/AIDS in a Libyan
hospital.
19 February 2007
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