Liz McManus
Question:83 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent address to the Ministerial Council of the OSCE on 1 December 2003. [30488/03]
Written Answers. - European Council Meetings.
I availed of the opportunity at my address to the eleventh meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, to comment on recent developments in Georgia, to call for progress in the long running conflicts in Moldova and Nagorno-Karabakh and to urge the OSCE to engage in a practical way in support of human rights and democracy so that the goals of the organisation can be fulfilled. I also called on the governments of Turkmenistan and Belarus to meet their commitments to the OSCE on democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. I noted that Ireland believes the OSCE has an important responsibility to ensure that European security is anchored in real practical commitments and decisions in support of human rights and democracy by participating states and by the organisation.
My remarks also focused on the OSCE's recent decisions on terrorism, anti-semitism, racism, xenophobia and discrimination and trafficking in people. I welcome these decisions which provide a basis for practical follow up on key issues of human rights and common concern to all 55 participating states of the OSCE. In my address, I indicated our support for the OSCE's major new strategy on threats to security and stability and the document concerning economic and environmental issues. Ireland will host a follow-up seminar on economic issues in Dublin next February to which representatives of all participating states are invited.
Regrettably, no agreement was reached at the ministerial council on a ministerial declaration related to the regional conflicts, despite strenuous efforts on the EU side. This was a serious disappointment. Nevertheless, important progress was made in Maastricht on developing dialogue with the acting Georgian President, Mrs. Burdjanadze, who received very significant pledges of financial support to ensure that the forthcoming presidential elections are free and fair. I confirmed in my speech that the Irish Government had decided to allocate €100,000 in support of international efforts for free and fair elections and expressed our concern that the rights of the Georgian people to the territorial integrity of their state and to democracy be upheld.
Finally, I recorded Ireland's support for the excellent work of the outgoing Netherlands OSCE chairman and looked forward to working closely with the Bulgarian chairman during our Presidency of the European Union.
Question No. 84 answered with Question No. 79.
Question No. 85 answered with Question No. 69.
Gerard Murphy
Question:86 Mr. Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the outcome of the general affairs and external relations council meeting of 17 and 18 November 2003. [30437/03]
I attended the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on 17-18 November 2003. The Council was also attended by Ministers for Defence, including Deputy Michael Smith, for the standard once a semester joint consideration of ESDP. The Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, also attended for the development items.
In advance of the council, my colleagues, the Minister of State, Deputy Roche and the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, appeared before the Joint Committee on European Affairs on 12 November 2003 to review the council's agenda. Following the Council, my Department forwarded the relevant conclusions prepared by the Council secretariat to the committee for information. These are also available on the following Internet address:www.europa.eu.int/comm/external- relations/gac/date/171103.htmIn accordance with its usual practice, the Council met in two sessions, one dealing with general affairs and the other dealing with external relations. In the general affairs session, the Council took note of the presentation by the Commission of its legislative and work programme for 2004, and held a brief policy debate. The council also took note of the standard Presidency report on the progress of work in other Council configurations.
The Council examined an annotated draft agenda prepared by the Presidency for the European Council meeting due to be held in Brussels on 12-13 December 2003. The agenda sets out the main items to be addressed, apart from the intergovernmental conference: economic growth; freedom, security and justice; EU enlargement; and external relations. The Council agreed to return to the annotated draft agenda at its meeting on 8-9 December 2003. The Council also took note of the presentation by the Commission of its monitoring reports on the accession states' preparations for membership of the European Union and its strategy paper and regular reports on progress by Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey towards accession.
The Council addressed a wide range of issues in the session on external relations and adopted conclusions on the ESDP, Iraq, the western Balkans, EU-Africa relations, weapons of mass destruction and Afghanistan. It also held discussions on the follow-up to the EU-Russia summit, held in Rome on 6 November 2003; on the situation in the Middle East, including in preparation of the fourth meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council, held on 17-18 November; and on Iran, following the declaration by Iran on its decision to sign, ratify and immediately apply the international atomic energy agency additional protocol.
The Council also adopted a range of conclusions with regard to development policy and external assistance and governance and development. A ministerial meeting of the intergovernmental conference took place in the margins of the General Affairs and External Relations Council. An Association Council with Israel was held on 18 November 2003.