HL Deb 18 June 1986 vol 476 cc1021-2WA
Lord Zouche of Haryngworth

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will report on the outcome of the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 16th and 17th June.

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young)

My right honourable and learned friend attended the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 16th June. My honourable friend the Minister for Trade represented the UK at the continuing discussions on 17th June.

The Council discussed preparations for the meeting of the European Council on 27th—28th June.

The Council discussed the dispute with the United States over the trade implications of enlargement. Ministers agreed to work for a negotiated solution in the framework of the GATT as quickly as possible while also deciding in principle to meet any further US restrictive actions by equivalent Community measures. The Council reaffirmed the Community's commitment to the new GATT round and to its successful and speedy launching, and also welcomed the overall approach proposed by the Commission.

The Council considered a revised mandate for negotiations with the Community's Mediterranean preferential partners to take account of enlargement. Ministers agreed that the Presidency would propose to the Turkish Government that a meeting of the EC/Turkey Association Council should be held in the margins of the September Foreign Affairs Council.

The Council agreed that the Commission should open negotiations with Venezuela on a Voluntary Restraint Agreement (VRA) on her steel exports to the Community.

The Council confirmed the adoption as a resolution of the Commission's proposal on renal dialysis. There was a brief discussion on state aids for coal.

Meeting in Political Co-operation, Ministers had a brief discussion of South Africa and agreed to ask Political Directors to convene at the earliest possible date to evaluate the present situation in the light of the Commonwealth EPG report.