EU Foreign Affairs Council (Hansard, 31 October 1996)

§ Mr. David Davis

The A points in document 10968/96, the texts of which will be placed in the House as soon as they are available, were approved. They include draft conclusions on the EU regional approach to developing relations with the countries of the former Yugoslavia and a common position introducing a ban on visas for senior members of the Burmese regime and on high-level bilateral visits to Burma.

The Council noted the resolutions adopted by the European Parliament in document 9600/96. A copy of the document will be placed in the House as soon as it is available.

The Council reached political agreement on a regulation and joint action to counter unacceptable extraterritorial effects of US trade legislation affecting European companies trading with Cuba, Iran and Libya.

After discussion, the Council agreed conclusions on preparations for the world trade ministerial meeting in Singapore in December. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade emphasised that the Singapore meeting should give a boost to trade liberalisation.

Commissioner Mann, Vice-President of the European Commission, gave a short report to the GAC on the state of play in the association agreement negotiations with Egypt and how the Commission hoped to take negotiations forward. This was subsequently discussed at a meeting of the EC-Egypt co-operation council.

After discussion, the Council agreed conclusions announcing the mandate and appointment of Ambassador Miguel Angel Moratinos as the European Union's special envoy to the middle east peace process.

The presidency gave a progress report to the GAC on the European Union observatory to discuss racism and xenophobia. The presidency will produce a draft statute to clarify discussion of the legal base.

The Council agreed that a joint action should be prepared for adoption at or before the 25 November General Affairs Council on support for the democratic process in Zaire, covering establishment of an EU electoral unit and a contribution to the UN trust fund. The Council also issued a statement reiterating the Union's grave concern at the escalation of fighting in eastern Zaire and its potential to worsen further the already serious humanitarian situation existing in the region, calling for an immediate ceasefire, and restating its view that a regional conference on peace, security and stability in the great lakes region under the auspices of the UN and the Organisation and African Unity, has a central role to play in the establishment of a settlement.

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The Council had an exchange of views on the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe summit to be held in Lisbon on 2–3 December, in the perspective of which it adopted "EU Guidelines".

On the morning of 28 October, I signed the EC-Korea trade and co-operation agreement on behalf of the UK.

In the margins, there were discussions on the location of the plant variety office and Turkey, both of which will be discussed at the November General Affairs Council, and under any other business there was a brief discussion on the results of the recent EU-southern Africa development community ministerial in Windhoek, and a request from Greece for the Commission to consider humanitarian aid to Bulgaria.

In addition, the presidency, on behalf of the Union, published a declaration on the situation in Afghanistan.

At a ministerial session of the Intergovernmental Conference Ministers discussed the external action of the EU, focusing on common foreign and security policy—CFSP—issues, security and defence, and external economic relations. On CFSP, Ministers exchanged views on a number of practical and institutional questions. On security and defence, Ministers discussed a range of institutional issues. On external economic relations, Ministers considered options designed to ensure that the EU is able to act decisively to promote its interests in external economic forums.

The Ministerial was preceded by an exchange of views with the presidency and representatives of the European Parliament.