Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins to participate in General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting

On 18 May, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will participate in the European Union General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) meeting in Brussels. At the same time meetings by EU member state defence ministers and development co-operation are also scheduled.

The General Affairs session will discuss the agenda for the 18 – 19 June meeting of the European Council. The main issues on the agenda will be with regard to the financial and economic situation and funding for climate change consequence limitation projects (in preparation for the Copenhagen conference in December). The meeting also plans to achieve consensus on a resolution for the necessary juridical guarantees with regard to the Treaty of Lisbon and on the procedure for nominations for the president of the European Commission.

The External Affairs session for ministers will review the present situation in Georgia. It is possible that the discussion could cover aspects of the international political situation, questions of security in the separatist regions of Abkazia and South Ossetia and other current issues in EU – Georgia relations.  At present, the most important questions on the EU – Georgia agenda concern an agreement on the easing of visa restrictions and on the conclusion of a free trade agreement. Negotiations on the easing of visa restrictions were commenced between the European Commission and Georgia in April but negotiations on a free trade agreement are yet to commence.

The ministers will continue the GAERC discussion on the situation in Moldova. On 5 May, the first sitting of the new Moldovan parliament took place. The Chairman of the new parliament is former Moldovan president Vladimir Voronin. On 20 May there will be a vote on the choice for Moldova's new president.

The ministers plan to debate the most important issues in preparation for the EU – Russia Summit which will take place from 21 – 22 May in Khabarovsk, and they will also debate the future status of EU – Russia relations. During the summit it is expected to evaluate the realisation of the EU – Russia Four Common Spaces road map. The issues of unacceptable protectionism, Russia's joining of the World Trade Organisation, the implementation of decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, and discussions on a new EU-Russia Treaty are all on the agenda. Actualities in the international arena will also be covered with discussion on the world financial and economic crisis, the situation in Georgia, and the resolution of existing frozen conflicts.

The Council will also discuss the situation in Iran and in the region as a whole, bearing in mind the forthcoming presidential elections.

The Foreign Ministers will join with the Defence Ministers in discussions regarding the European Union military operations EUFOR ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU NAVFOR ATALANTA sea operation off the coast of Somalia.

The meeting of GAERC Development Ministers will discuss support for newly developing states in the overcoming of the crisis. A discussion is planned on transatlantic development co-operation between the EU and the United States. The European Commission will inform member states on the economic partnership agreement negotiations with African, Caribbean Sea, and Pacific Ocean countries, as well as debates on issues concerning democratic government, with a particular focus on dialogue as an instrument of the political process.

The European Union Foreign Ministers GAERC meetings take place once a month and are hosted by the foreign minister of the presiding EU member state.

(end of text)