§ Lord Brougham and Vauxasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish in the Official Report a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 3rd October.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Brabazon of Tara)My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Minister for Overseas Development and my noble friend the Minister for Trade represented the UK at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 3rd October.
The Council adopted the Television Broadcasting Directive under the qualified majority voting procedure, the UK voting in favour. By providing a framework of common rules to remove barriers to trade and protect the consumer, the directive will encourage the development of cross-border broadcasting in the Community.
On the basis of proposals by the Commission, the Council discussed possible measures of assistance to Poland and Hungary, and agreed that the Commission's proposals represented an excellent basis for further action. Many of them closely reflect earlier UK suggestions. The Council encouraged the Commission to pursue its efforts both on the Community level and with other Western countries. We will continue to play a leading part.
The Council also discussed the Community's trade relations with the US and Japan.
In the belief that the Community should respond swiftly to recent developments in Beirut, the Foreign Affairs Council agreed a 25 mecu package of assistance aimed at rehabilitating essential services in the Lebanon (health, education, water and power supplies).
The Foreign Affairs Council took note of a draft negotiating mandate put forward by the Commission for a second stage agreement between the Community and the Gulf Co-operation Council and remitted it for detailed consideration.
The Council reviewed progress in the renegotiation of the Lomé Convention and discussed preparations for the next ACP/EC ministerial negotiating meeting on 27th-29th October.