GENERAL AFFAIRS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS
COUNCIL, APRIL 2007
Letter from Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP, Minister
for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to the Chairman
Further to my letter of 15 March 2007[65]
which informed you about the Joint Action to establish a European
Security and Defence Policy mission in Afghanistan, I am writing
to inform you about a number of other EU documents which are also
expected to be considered at the 23 April General Affairs and
External Relations Council.
— Common Position renewing restrictive
measures on Burma.
— Joint Action involving the African
Centre for Study and Research on Terrorism.
— Joint Action extending mandate of
EU Planning Team in Kosovo.
— Joint Action appointing a new EU
Special Representative in Sudan.
— Joint Action extending mandate of
EU Border Assistance Mission in Rafah.
It is unlikely that drafts of the above documents
will be available before Thursday 22 March, your deadline for
documents to deposited in Parliament in order for you to consider
them before the Parliamentary recess. As there will be very limited
time for you to consider the documents after the recess, I am
writing to you now to give you as much information as possible.
I will ensure Explanatory Memoranda are sent to you as soon as
I have received drafts of the documents, which I anticipate to
be during the recess. I trust that this will allow you to consider
the Explanatory Memoranda at your meeting on 19 April.
Common Position renewing restrictive measures
on Burma
Starting with Common Position 96/635/CFSP, the
EU has adapted and strengthened its sanctions regime against Burma
over the last eleven years in response to deteriorating circumstances
on the ground and the failure by the government of Burma to make
progress on human rights, national reconciliation and use of forced
labour. In line with EU sanctions policy, the EU has worked to
achieve positive change in Burma by placing pressure on those
responsible for its policies, whilst minimising any adverse impact
on the general population.
Before the existing Common Position expires,
the Council is expected to adopt a new Common Position to extend
the measures of CP 2006/318/CFSP for a further year, to 30 April
2008. We expect that the new Common Position will not include
any additional measures and will only make amendments to the list
of those targeted by the assets freeze and travel ban.
It is important that the EU maintains pressure
on the military regime to enter into a meaningful and genuine
dialogue with the democratic opposition, with the view to seeing
an eventual transition to civilian rule; and to fully respect
human rights including the release of political prisoners and
recognition of the rights of ethnic communities. The renewal of
these measures will show that the European Union remains committed
to keeping up such pressure. The Government supports this approach.
Joint Action involving the African Centre for
Study and Research on Terrorism
The African Centre for Study and Research on
Terrorism (CAERT) was recently established in Algiers. Its remit
is to study terrorism and in particular to focus on African issues
and stopping the spread of terrorism.
To assist the Centre, the French have put forward
a proposal for an EU Joint Action, funded by the Common Foreign
and Security Policy budget. This project is in two parts and comprises:
(i) a seminar attended by 150 participants from
African Union Countries, specialists from Member States, the Commission
and the Centre. The output of the seminar will be an action plan
which will form the second stage of the project; and
(ii) the second phase will involve an audit of
Counter Terrorism capacity within African Union States, and the
formation of ideas for capacity building projects, some of which
can be undertaken with the assistance ofthe EU.
The UK has supported the Joint Action proposal
and believes the concept of a raft of capacity building projects,
which can be undertaken by the EU with the goodwill of beneficiary
countries, is appealing.
However, there are a number of unanswered questions
in terms of the detail, including confirmed dates for the seminar
(originally planned for November 2006), exact budget details and
who will pay for the follow-up projects identified during the
process. The Commission have expressed concerns about these details
as well as some legal issues and have said that they will report
back after having looked into this in greater depth.
Due to this lack of clarity at such a late stage,
we think it unlikely that this Joint Action will be on the agenda
for decision at the General Affairs and External Relations Council
in April.
Joint Action extending mandate of EU Planning
Team in Kosovo
The mandate of the EU Planning Team in Kosovo
is due to expire at the end of May and it will be extremely important
that the EU Planning Team is able to continue its work during
the ongoing Status process. The Planning Team continues to focus
on support to the rule of law in Kosovo, which is not only critical
for the future of Kosovo, but also important for securing a stable
and safe European neighbourhood.
Joint Action appointing new EU Special Representative
for Sudan
The mandate for the European Union Special Representative
for Sudan expires on 30 April 2007. The current EU Special Representative
is Pekka Haavisto, a former Finnish Minister, appointed by EU
Foreign Ministers in July 2005. He was mandated, as part of the
international community and in support of the African Union and
the UN to assist the Sudanese parties, the African Union and the
UN to achieve a political settlement of the conflict in Darfur,
including through the implementation of the Darfur Peace Agreement.
In addition he was mandated to facilitate the implementation of
the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the Eastern Sudan Peace
Agreement, with due regard to the regional ramifications of these
issues and to the principle of African ownership. He was also
tasked to ensure maximum effectiveness and visibility of the European
Union's contribution to the African Union mission in the Darfur
region of Sudan (AMIS).
Earlier this year EU Member States were invited
to nominate candidates to replace Haavisto. We expect Javier Solana,
EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy,
to propose a successor at the next General Affairs and External
Relations Council on 23 April 2007, for Ministers' endorsement.
We expect the Council Secretariat to issue a draft Council Joint
Action on the details of the mandate of the future EU Special
Representative shortly.
Joint Action extension of mandate of EU Border
Assistance Mission at Rafah
The EU Border Assistance Mission at Rafah is
an important example of EU engagement in the region. The mission
continues to provide a vital confidence building role that allows
the Palestinian Authority to operate the border. The mission's
current mandate expires at the end of May and I am keen to support
an extension of the mission's mandate provided the Israeli and
Palestinian support for the mission continues.
20 March 2007
Letter from Rt Hon Geoff Hoon MP to the
Chairman
My letters of 15 and 20 March informed you about
various EU documents that we thought were likely to be considered
at the 23 April General Affairs and External Relations Council.
This letter updates the Committee on progress during the Easter
recess.
The Joint Action to establish a European Security
and Defence Policy mission in Afghanistan will now be considered
at the 12 May General Affairs and External Relations Council.
The 23 April meeting is likely to note the further progress in
planning. I expect to receive a draft of the Joint Action this
week and will forward it to you shortly with an Explanatory Memorandum.
Three other documents listed in my two earlier
letters are still some way from adoption and will therefore not
be on the agenda for 23 April either. It is probable that these
documents will also be considered at the next General Affairs
and External Relations Council on 12 May:
— Joint Action involving the African
Centre for Study and Research on Terrorism
— Joint Action extending mandate of
EU Planning Team in Kosovo
— Joint Action extending mandate of
EU Border Assistance Mission in Rafah.
On a separate issue, I would like to update
the Committee regarding the EU Special Representatives for Afghanistan
and Sudan. When Explanatory Memoranda covering the Joint Actions
to renew the mandates of EU Special Representatives for Afghanistan
and Sudan were submitted to Parliament (on 24 January and 27 March
respectively), certain details were not known. I am now able to
provide you with this information.
EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE
FOR AFGHANISTAN
The mandate was renewed for 12 months (ending
on February 29 2008) with a budget of €2.45 million.
EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE
FOR SUDAN
On 29 March the Political and Security Committee
agreed to recommend Ambassador Torben Brylie from Denmark as the
next EU Special Representative for Sudan. A Joint Action has been
agreed for a budget of €1.7 million for this post. The mandate
will be for 10 months and will end on 29 February 2008.
16 April 2007
65 Refer to "ESDP Afghanistan Mission" Back
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