Foreign Affairs Council (Hansard, 6 March 1991)

§ Mr. Hurd

A meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council took place in Brussels on 4 March. My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and I represented the United Kingdom.

Ministers reviewed the situation in the Soviet Union and approved in principle measures to provide some £177 million food assistance and £350 million as a credit for food purchases for the Soviet Union, subject to strict monitoring to ensure that the food went to those in need. The Council asked the Commission to resume preparatory work for a proposal to give technical assistance to the Soviet Union. A decision on whether to implement this proposal will be taken by the Council later in the light of the prevailing political and economic situation. Ministers also approved in principle £70 million food and medical assistance for Romania and Bulgaria.

Ministers discussed EC assistance to Israel and the occupied territories to counter the effects of the Gulf war. They agreed in principle that the Community should guarantee a loan of some £110 million to Israel, to be raised commercially with £19 million interest rate subsidy from the Community budget, and should provide the occupied territories with £42 million in grants.

The Commission reported progress in the GATT Uruguay round. The United Kingdom and most other member states welcomed the resumption of negotiations and called for an early and successful outcome.

The Commission reported on the negotiations with EFTA and identified the outstanding issues. It was agreed that work on this dossier should be intensified.

Over lunch, Ministers discussed the need to strengthen EC-Turkey relations. They also discussed Yugoslavia and agreed that the presidency would appeal to all Yugoslav parties to continue their dialogue.

Ministers discussed the situation in the Gulf and middle east following the suspension of hostilities. Ministers agreed to a Commission proposal to remove Kuwait from the scope of the EC embargo. They confirmed their support for the efforts of the countries of the region to ensure its future stability.

They agreed on the importance of maintaining close contact with those countries and with the United States and the Soviet Union. In this connection, the presidency is arranging ministerial troika visits to the middle east. Ministers confirmed their support for an international peace conference at an appropriate time, but agreed that 205W the present situation called for urgent, quick diplomatic efforts within a visible framework of contacts and discussions.

Ministers discussed the situation in the Baltic states. They noted that the results of the referendums held in these states could not be ignored and their satisfaction that they had taken place in peace and without interference. They called for an early opening of a serious and constructive dialogue between the Soviet and Baltic authorities.