General Affairs and External Relations Council 15-16 June
The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) is meeting in Luxembourg on 15-16 June. The General Affairs Council is preparing the June summit while Foreign Ministers are discussing the Middle East, Cuba and the Western Balkans. Sweden is being represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt and Minister for EU Affairs Cecilia Malmström.
Preparations for the June Summit
At the session on general affairs, ministers will prepare the European Council on 18-19 June. The European Council will consider the matter of Ireland seeking certain legal guarantees in order to be able to ratify the Treaty of Lisbon. The heads of state and government will also discuss the appointment of a new President of the European Commission.
The agenda of the European Council also includes the economic and financial situation. Under this point heads of state and government will discuss the supervision of financial markets on the basis of the de Larosière report. They will also discuss the position of the EU ahead of the climate change negotiations at UN level.
Ministers discuss the Middle East, Cuba and the Western Balkans
At the session on external relations, foreign ministers will hold a discussion on the Middle East. The focus of this discussion will be EU support for the peace process. Sweden takes the view that close cooperation with the US is important to achieve a two-state solution. Foreign ministers will adopt a number of Council conclusions on the peace process in the Middle East, the parliamentary elections in Lebanon and Iraq.
The Council will also discuss Cuba. Ministers are expected to emphasise the importance of pursuing the political dialogue with Cuba on a results-oriented basis and also of pursuing a dialogue with civil society. The Council is also expected to call on the Cuban government to improve living conditions in the country. Sweden is stressing that human rights and democracy have top priority in the talks.
During lunch ministers will discuss the Western Balkans. The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), Serge Brammertz, has been invited and will brief ministers on the cooperation of Serbia, in particular, with the ICTY. Ministers will also discuss the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Council is expected to adopt conclusions on Bosnia and Herzegovina, regional cooperation and visa liberalisation. With regard to visa liberalisation, the Council will discuss the matter in the light of the progress made by countries in the Balkans.
