§ Baroness Carnegy of Lourasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 25th-26th January.
§ Lord TrefgarneMy right honourable and learned friend the Foreign Secretary and my right honourable friend the Minister of State (Mrs. Chalker) attended the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 25th January.
The Council discussed the financial situation in the European Community. My right honourable and learned friend made clear that there could be no overall agreement in the current negotiations without effective control on agricultural production and spending. We drew attention to the dangers in any approach which did not build on the package of measures which Heads of Government had discussed at Copenhagen. These issues will be discussed again at a special meeting of EC Foreign Ministers on 1st and 2nd February.
The Council also discussed preparations for the EC/EFTA Ministerial Meeting on 2nd February; and, meeting in political co-operation, Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the Middle East, Afghanistan and East/West relations.