Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins to take part in meeting of General Affairs and External Relations Council

On 16 June, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will participate in the meeting of General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) taking place in Luxembourg.

The Council's session on General Affairs is to examine draft conclusions for the European Council of 19 and 20 June. The issues in focus are the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, the impact of the increasing food and oil prices, the issues of migration and asylum seeking, the Western Balkans, the EU's progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Goals and the European Neighbourhood Policy.

In the External Relations portion, a joint 18-month work programme for the three upcoming Presidencies of France, the Czech Republic and Sweden during the period from July 2008 to December 2009 will also be presented.

In the External relations session, the ministers will review the situation in the Western Balkans, mainly with regard to the parliamentary elections in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the coming into force of the Kosovo constitution on 15 June.

The foreign ministers will also discuss the Middle East in the light of planned international conferences in June, as well as the situation in Lebanon after the Lebanese presidential elections. The Council is expected to have a debate regarding Iran, during which EU High Representative Javier Solana will brief about his visit to Iran.

The foreign ministers have planned to discuss topical issues related to China, as well as the situation in Burma/Myanmar regarding the humanitarian crisis following the hurricane caused by a tropical cyclone in May 2008.

The ministers will also review the situation in the African Great Lakes region related to the peacekeeping process, and will have an exchange of views on the situation in Sudan where clashes continue between the government troops and rebels. A discussion is also planned on the situation in Somalia in connection with piracy in Somali coastal waters.

(end of text)