State Secretary Penke to participate in EU GAERC meeting

Foreign Ministry State Secretary Normans Penke will take part in the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) meeting in Brussels on 10 March. 

At the General Affairs session it is planned to discuss preparations for the European Council of 13 to 14 March. The main issues of concern to the European Council are energy, climate, and financial markets. As to climate change and global security, the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, and the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union, Javier Solana, will present a report on how climate change affects international security and stability.

During the External Relations session, it is anticipated to discuss the current situation in Kosovo and Serbia, as well as to adopt the Council's conclusions on the Western Balkans (on Bosnia and Herzegovina and the transfer of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe to the Regional Co-operation Council).

At the GAERC, a discussion between the ministers will take place regarding Georgia and possible EU support to the state in the run-up to the parliamentary elections in May, mostly to remedy the shortcomings which were identified during the previous elections. Likewise, EU foreign ministers will debate other issues high on the EU-Georgia agenda: possible simplification of the visa regime between the EU and Georgia, potential further action to liberalise bilateral trade, and EU support in solving frozen conflicts in Georgia.     

Foreign ministers plan to consider the current situation in the Middle East, as well as the recent developments in Zimbabwe in the run-up to presidential and parliamentary elections due to take place on 29 March. As to Afghanistan, a discussion is planned about the significance of the co-ordination of all parties involved, the selection of the chief co-ordinator, and a mechanism how to make this co-ordination strategically harmonised.   

As regards Iran, it is intended to consider the current situation in relation to Iran's nuclear programme, a report by the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the new UN sanctions resolution.

At the Council, continued debate on the latest developments in the Doha Development Round talks is also expected.

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