Gerard Murphy
Ceist:127 Mr. Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council has recently considered the position in Serbia-Montenegro and the situation in Kosovo. [21104/03]
Written Answers. - Foreign Conflicts.
The situation in the western Balkans is reviewed each month by the General Affairs and External Relations Council. The EU has taken the lead role in working with the countries of the region to consolidate peace and stability and promote economic development and respect for human rights and the rule of law. The EU-Western Balkans Summit in Thessaloniki on 21 June 2003 confirmed that the future of the region lies in eventual integration into European structures, on the basis of the fulfilment of clear and objective political and economic criteria by the Governments of the individual countries concerned.
At the most recent meeting of the Council in Brussels on 29-30 September, we reviewed developments in relation to Kosovo and the situation in Serbia and Montenegro. Discussion on Kosovo took place in the context of the recent appointment of a new Special Representative of the UN Secretary General and head of UNMIK, Mr. Harri Holkeri. Mr. Holkeri is well known to us in Ireland for his role as one of the co-chairmen of the multi-party talks leading to the Good Friday Agreement. His appointment has given new impetus to plans for a direct dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina on practical issues of mutual concern, which was agreed in principle at the Thessaloniki summit. The Council expressed its support for plans to begin the dialogue by mid-October.
The Council also considered recent developments in Serbia and Montenegro and welcomed the exchange of public apologies between Presidents Marovic of Serbia and Montenegro and President Mesic of Croatia for the evils committed during the conflict following the break-up of the former Yugoslavia. The public apologies were made during the first visit to Belgrade by a President of Croatia and are a hopeful development for the improvement of co-operation between the countries of the western Balkans.
The Council stressed the importance of full implementation of the internal market and trade action plan on the harmonisation of the economies of Serbia and Montenegro, which was approved by the state union Parliament in August and has enabled the Commission to begin a feasibility study on the opening of negotiations for a stabilisation and association agreement.
In my contacts with the Governments of the region, I have assured them that relations with the western Balkans will remain an important foreign policy priority for the EU during Ireland's Presidency in 2004. I expect that the General Affairs and External Relations Council will continue to devote regular attention to developments throughout the western Balkans.
Question No. 128 answered with Question No. 114.