§ Mr. BrazierTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in theOfficial Report a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council on 18 and 19 June.
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§ Mr. HurdThe Foreign Affairs Council met in Luxembourg on 18 and 19 June. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I represented the United Kingdom.
The Council discussed preparations for the Dublin European Council on 25 and 26 June. Ministers agreed their report to the European Council on political union, and briefly discussed economic and monetary union, co-operation against drugs trafficking and on the environment, and recent developments on frontiers issues.
The Council approved directives for negotiations with EFTA for the extension of the single market to EFTA countries through the creation of a European economic area. The first round of negotiations with EFTA on the basis of this mandate were held in Brussels on 20 June.
In the light of recent violence against opposition demonstrators in Romania, the Council deferred a decision on the signature of the EC/Romania trade and commercial and economic co-operation agreement. There was also broad support for freezing G24 economic aid to Romania and withholding an invitation to Romania to attend the G24 ministerial meeting on 4 July. The Commission announced its intention to table proposals on aid to the other central and eastern European countries after that meeting. The Council also asked the Commission to conduct exploratory talks on association agreements with those countries in eastern Europe implementing economic and political reform most quickly and effectively.
The Commission reported to the Council on preparations for the Houston economic summit. The three main issues were likely to be east-west, the environment and the GATT Uruguay round.
The Commission put forward proposals for strengthening the Community's relations with Yugoslavia and Turkey, and for new Mediterranean policy. These were referred for further detailed work at official level.
The Council finalised the internal financing agreement for the fourth Lomé convention allowing the Community and its member states to proceed to ratification of the convention. The House will have the opportunity to debate this in the autumn.
The Council discussed progress in the GATT Uruguay round, with a view to the Houston economic summit on 9 to 11 July and the GATT trade negotiations committee —TNC—in Geneva in the week beginning 23 July. Ministers reaffirmed their strong commitment to a successful outcome to the round.
In the margins, Ministers discussed the treatment of imports of Japanese cars after 1992. The Commission reported progress in contacts with Japan. There was also discussion in European political co-operation of eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, South Africa, middle east, Lithuania and Ethiopia. Statements were issued on Ethiopia and Romania.