§ Mr. Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs and External Relations Council held on 22 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement. [163686]
§ Mr. MacShane: The information is as follows.
Outcome of the 22 March 2004 General Affairs and External Relations Council
My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Brussels on 22 March 2004.
Conclusions were agreed on the strategic partnership for the Middle East, the assassination of Sheikh Yassin, Iran, Western Balkans, UN Commission on Human Rights, Afghanistan, EU military rapid response, EU ACP partnership—water facility, and protection of EU seafarers in third countries—The Tasman Spirit.
General Affairs Session
Progress of work in other Council configurations
The Council took note of a progress report from the Presidency on work under way in the Council's other configurations (Economic and Financial Affairs; Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs; Competitiveness; Environment; and Education, Youth and Culture).
Preparation for the spring European Council
The GAERC finalised an annotated draft agenda and draft conclusions prepared by the Presidency for the 25–26 March European Council in Brussels.
The European Council will examine a package of measures presented by the Presidency with the aim of giving a renewed impulse to efforts to combat terrorism following the 11 March terrorist attacks in Madrid. It will review the international situation and assess the prospects for progress in the Intergovernmental Conference on the draft EU Constitutional Treaty. The European Council is also expected to agree on the procedure to be followed for preparation of the EU's financial perspective for 2007–13 and (as is customary at spring councils) it will pursue work on the structural reform strategy that it laid down at Lisbon in March 2000.
Combating terrorism
The GAERC examined a package of measures (prepared by a 19 March Justice and Home Affairs Council) aimed at giving a renewed impulse to efforts to combat terrorism following the 11 March terrorist attacks in Madrid. The GAERC agreed to forward the measures to the European Council for approval.
1122WExternal relations session
Western Balkans
The Council discussed Kosovo following recent events in the region and adopted Conclusions calling for an immediate and definitive end to the violence and condemning all acts of ethnically motivated violence. There were also Conclusions on Serbia and Montenegro, where the Council expressed readiness to co-operate with the newly formed Government but made clear that further progress towards European Integration is contingent on concrete action to implement political arid economic reforms. And there were short Conclusions on Macedonia's presentation of its application to join the EU.
ASEM
The Council took stock of preparations for the 17–18 April Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers Meeting (ASEM) at Kildare. It examined how to approach the issue of Burma's request to participate at the fifth ASEM summit at Hanoi on 8–9 October. The Presidency will continue consultations in order to find a solution on this issue.
Strategic Partnership with the Mediterranean and the Middle East
The Council welcomed the Presidency's interim report on the Strategic Partnership with the Mediterranean and the Middle East and looked forward to the June European Council when it will be able to consider the final article.
Short conclusions condemning the killing of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin were also adopted.
Iran
Conclusions were adopted on the Iranian nuclear programme in light of the 8–13 March meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Board of Governors. The Conclusions called on Iran to comply fully with the provisions set out in 13 March Board of Governors' resolution and welcomed Iran's decision to extend the scope of its suspension of enrichment-related and reprocessing activities.
AOB: Russia
The Council had a brief discussion on the extension of the EU-Russia Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) to the new EU member states. The GAERC noted that contacts were ongoing to ensure that the extension was in place by 1 May.