Foreign Affairs Council and General Affairs Council

Monday 28th November 2011 Written Statements

[The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington)]

The Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Aldershot (Mr Howarth) who is responsible for international security strategy will attend the Foreign Affairs Council in defence format on 30 November. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will attend the Foreign Affairs Council on 1 December. I will attend the General Affairs Council on 5 December.

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Ashton of Upholland, will chair the Foreign Affairs Council on 30 November and 1 December.

Foreign Affairs Council (FAC): Defence

European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board

Ministers are likely to discuss the work programme for 2012 and the plan for the next three years, the annual defence data report, the category B project on helicopter training and pooling and sharing. The UK will work with the agency and its member states to develop and improve the agency’s effectiveness and performance, but will urge the EDA to be realistic about its budget requirements. Unless postponed, the EDA budget will be discussed as an agenda item in the Council meeting.

Operations

The three operation commanders will be present and will provide an update on Operation Atalanta (Counter-piracy off the horn of Africa to protect world food programme and vulnerable shipping). Operation Althea (Operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina) and EU Training Mission Somalia (Military training mission to counter security threats in Mogadishu). There is also likely to be discussion between member states on possible future operations, with a likely focus on a training mission in the Sahel, a regional maritime capacity-building operation off the horn of Africa to strengthen local counter-piracy efforts, and potentially in full respect of the principle of Libyan ownership and in co-operation with the UN, further assistance to the new Libya. The extension of Operation Atalanta’s mandate, which the UK supports, will be discussed during the session. We intend to indicate our support for the ongoing operations, and the need for an internationally recognised strategy for Somalia.

Joint Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministers Dinner

The joint dinner (the first since the Lisbon treaty) is scheduled to focus on “hardware” of operations and capabilities, and software. The overarching theme will be effectiveness of common security and defence policy (CSDP) with a focus on force generation, reduced budgets and better tailoring of missions and operations. It is also likely that there will be further discussion of the Weimar nations’ agenda. We will spell out the UK’s vision for the future of CSDP: smarter operations and missions, more coherent use of EU military, civilian, diplomatic, humanitarian, and economic tools, and better EU-NATO relations, maintaining our insistence that the EU should not duplicate NATO. Underpinning this, we need member states to invest in deployable capabilities and focus on value for money. We will resist calls for the creation of any unnecessary additional institutions or processes. The dinner will also provide an opportunity to emphasise the benefits of closer UK-France defence and security co-operation, which we will promote as an example to encourage others to seek better value for money and improved capability through a similar partnerships approach. EU Foreign Ministers will discuss this further at their meeting on 1 December (see below)

Foreign Affairs Council (FAC)

Western Balkans

Baroness Ashton is expected to brief on political elements of Western Balkans policy, focusing on: Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the Government remain concerned about the political situation; and Serbia and Kosovo, where the Government see normalisation of relations between the two countries as a priority, and support further progress in the EU-led dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade.

Iran

Following discussion at the 14 November FAC, Ministers are expected to further develop their response to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) report on Iran which highlighted grave concerns regarding the possible military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear programme. We are expecting the Council to agree to a list of new designations of Iranian entities and persons.

On 21 November, the UK Government imposed tough new financial restrictions against Iran which cut off all financial ties with Iranian banks. The Foreign Secretary said:

“The IAEA’s report last week provided further credible and detailed evidence about the possible military dimensions of the Iranian nuclear programme. Today we have responded resolutely by introducing a set of new sanctions that prohibit all business with Iranian banks.

We have consistently made it clear that until Iran engages meaningfully, it will find itself under increasing pressure from the international community. The swift and decisive action today co-ordinated with key international partners is a strong signal of determination to intensify this pressure”.

Southern Neighbourhood

We expect Ministers to agree conclusions taking stock of the EU’s engagement with its southern neighbourhood, including implementation of the European neighbourhood policy. Ministers are also expected to be asked to welcome proposals to create a European endowment for democracy, which aims to support democratic reform in the EU’s neighbourhood.

On Egypt, Ministers will take stock of the situation following the planned first round of elections. They will consider how the EU and its member states should react to the situation in Egypt, balancing concern at the recent violence with the need to encourage and support progress on the transition. Our objective is EU support for Egypt which will help to deliver political and economic reform.

Ministers will have an opportunity to discuss the current situation in Syria and co-ordination with the international community to end the violence. This might include a further, 10th round of sanctions against the Syrian regime. We have proposed the listing of 10 military officials involved in the ongoing violence around Homs.

Baroness Ashton is likely to brief Ministers on the latest political developments in Yemen. We expect conclusions to be adopted which welcome signature of the agreement, call on all parties to deliver on their commitments, and state that the EU will continue to monitor the situation in Yemen. The Foreign Secretary welcomed the signing of the Gulf Co-operation Council initiative on 23 November. He said:

“We welcome the fact that today President Saleh has signed the GCC initiative committing to the transition of power within 90 days, after which he will stand down.

It comes after months of deterioration of the situation in Yemen, and will give hope to the Yemeni people that change in their country is possible.

We now call on all political leaders and forces in Yemen to commit to a peaceful and orderly political transition. Both the supporters of President Saleh and the opposition must seize this opportunity and comply fully with UNSCR 2014. We will review progress with other members of the Security Council in the coming days.

The Yemeni people have suffered for too long. The UK is committed to helping them tackle the many challenges involved in this transition.

We commend the Gulf Co-operation Council for their unrelenting efforts to facilitate today’s agreement. President Saleh must now act on his commitment and implement the agreement in full”.

Middle East Peace Process

Ministers are likely to discuss options for helping to relieve restrictions on Gaza. Our position is that we want an increase in the importation of construction materials to Gaza; an increase in exports from Gaza to Israel, the west bank and other countries; and a relaxation of restrictions of civilian movement between Gaza and the west bank. We also expect Baroness Ashton to brief on her three-pronged Gaza package and on the progress made in the 14 November Quartet envoys talks with the parties.

CSDP

Following the joint Foreign and Defence Ministers’ discussion of 30 November (see above), we hope that discussion will continue, concluding with a set of Council conclusions that have a strong operational focus. Potential missions include training local security forces in the Sahel, a regional maritime capacity building operation off the horn of Africa to strengthen local counter-piracy efforts, and possibly an offer of further assistance to the new Libya in full respect of the principle of Libyan ownership and in co-operation with the UN. We will indicate our continuing support for counter piracy efforts and the need for an internationally recognised strategy for Somalia.

Iraq: Camp Ashraf

Baroness Ashton is expected to raise the issue of the future of the (Iranian) residents of Camp Ashraf in Iraq, as the Government of Iraq’s deadline to close the camp at the end of the year draws closer. We will underline our support for the UN’s role in resolving the issue, and stress the responsibility of the Government of Iraq to find a solution which respects the human rights of the residents of Camp Ashraf.

Human Rights

Baroness Ashton is expected to update Ministers on the state of play of the draft EU human rights strategy. She is likely to confirm that she will present the strategy to the European Parliament on 14 December. The draft strategy will issue as a joint High Representative/Commission communication. It will be considered further by member states before it returns to the Foreign Affairs Council for substantive discussion in the first quarter of 2012. Member states are procedurally unable to amend the content of a communication, so are likely to endorse the strategy through Council conclusions. We will provide further information to the chairs of the relevant committees in the House of Lords and House of Commons on the progress of the strategy.

General Affairs Council (GAC)

Preparation for the December European Council

Ministers will prepare the December European Council, the agenda for which will cover three issues; economic policy, energy, and enlargement. The accession treaty with Croatia will be signed in the margins.

i.) Economic Policy. The situation in the eurozone is likely to dominate debate. Ministers will discuss an interim report from President Van Rompuy, in line with October European Council conclusions, on the steps to strengthen the economic union in the euro area. This will explore the possibility of limited treaty change among other issues. Measures to enhance EU economic growth will also be discussed.

The conclusions of the October European Council meeting can be found at:

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/125496.pdf

ii.) Energy. Ministers will review progress on the agreement reached at February European Council which set out a series of measures to be taken forward on energy policy. There will be an opportunity to follow up on the findings of the nuclear stress tests.

The conclusions of the February European Council meeting can be found at:

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms data/docs/pressdata/en/ec/119175.pdf

iii.) Enlargement (see also below). Ministers will discuss the Commission’s enlargement package of 12 October. The report recommended: (i) candidate status for Serbia if it re-engages in the dialogue with Kosovo; (ii) opening accession negotiations with Montenegro; (iii) tasking the Commission to develop a “new approach” to enlargement negotiations.

Multi-annual Financial Framework

Ministers will review progress made on the technical discussions made under the Polish presidency to clarify the Commission’s multi-annual financial framework proposals. There will be an opportunity to comment on the proposed changes to the revenue generating elements of the package, which have been discussed at committee level throughout November. The package includes changes to the UK abatement and new EU taxes.

Enlargement

Ministers will seek to agree conclusions taking stock of progress on EU enlargement and on the stabilisation and association process in the Western Balkans. The Government believe the Commission communication to be a broadly fair and balanced assessment. We will seek conclusions reconfirming support for EU enlargement and recognition that the accession process gives strong encouragement to political and economic reform in the enlargement countries and reinforces peace, democracy and stability in Europe. We agree with the Commission’s view that progress towards the EU should be based on the principles of consolidation of commitments, fair and rigorous conditionality, and good communication with the public. We agree that key challenges remain for most enlargement countries, for example, the rule of law, and in particular the fight against corruption and organised crime. We also support a focus on the criteria of regional co-operation, particularly for the Western Balkans countries.

On individual countries. Parliament on 22 November debated the closure of chapter 23 of Croatia’s accession negotiations, and Croatia’s accession to the EU. A draft Council decision on Croatia’s accession to the EU has been released and is due to be adopted by the GAC on 5 December, before signature of the accession treaty in the margins of the European Council on 9 December. On Turkey, we will want conclusions that provide a fair assessment of progress and inject much needed momentum into the process. On Iceland, we want the Council to commend the progress Iceland has made in accession negotiations this year. Conclusions will also need to address existing obligation, such as those identified by the European Free Trade Association Surveillance Authority under the European economic area agreement.

Following the FAC discussion of 1 December (see above), the GAC will return to the Western Balkans and discuss the Commission’s enlargement package for the Western Balkans countries. I set out the Government’s views on the Commission’s reports in my explanatory memorandum of 7 November. We remain fully supportive of the future of all the western Balkans countries in the EU once conditions are met. We will take a final decision on the UK position on the opening of accession negotiations with Montenegro before the December European Council. We will also take a final decision on the proposal to grant Serbia candidate status, based on their progress on Kosovo, including in the dialogue. We will take the opportunity to support further steps to provide a tangible EU perspective to Kosovo.

The European Commission work programme for 2012

The European Commission will make a short presentation to Ministers of its work programme for 2012.