25-26 October Foreign Ministers’ Informal

Date: 30/10/1997

DESPITE promising clear guidelines for EU leaders on eastern enlargement, the discussions at Mondorf-les-Bains left Union applicants and member states profoundly confused as to what will happen this December. Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jacques Poos claimed that a majority of states favoured separate negotiations with a selected group of applicants but an inclusive European Conference, supporting the European Commission's calls this summer for negotiations with five eastern European countries plus Cyprus. But Greece, Denmark and Sweden - the most high-profile opponents of differentiation - made no public statements supporting him.

IN FACT, during the meeting even more EU ministers appeared to be interested in a common starting line, including Italy's Lamberto Dini. Nonetheless, statements by UK Foreign Minister Douglas Henderson and diplomats indicated the most hard-line opponent of separate negotiations, Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen, was softening his stance. Poos said that diplomats and ministers would search for a compromise over the next month, perhaps distinguishing between 'active' and 'passive' negotiations, or allowing a 'rolling' reassessment of countries left out of talks.

FRENCH proposals to include all candidates, whether negotiating or not, in the European Conference became bogged down over whether Turkey should be invited. Greece and Germany strongly opposed placing the country alongside other applicants, while Scandinavians pushing for a common starting line did not want a conference at all. Although not explicitly mentioned, tensions in Cyprus clearly influenced the talks. Poos hoped three key meetings between Europe and the Turks this and next month would help clarify matters.

MINISTERS decided that the Luxembourg summit in December should set out clear guidelines on the future financing of the EU, although they accepted that it would not be able to settle matters for good. Concerns were raised that the 'pre-ins' (the applicant countries which do not join the EU by 2006) were being promised too little by the Commission compared to the earlier entrants. For example, the Commission has proposed pre-accession structural funds of 7 billion ecu over the period, while new members would get 38 billion. Foreign Affairs Commissioner Hans van den Broek insisted that as more countries joined, those left behind would receive a larger contribution from the pre-accession funds.

FOLLOWING Spanish calls for a statement, ministers made a very weak unofficial declaration on events in Algeria. “The Union confirms its solidarity with the Algerian people and underlines the right of the population to be protected,” said Poos. “It encourages President Zeroual to expand the dialogue to all the democratic forces.” When asked how this would have an impact on the crisis in Algeria, Poos said that it was not meant to.

He said that he intended to meet Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf next month. “We can't do anything if nobody on the ground wants us to,” said Swedish Foreign Minister Lena Hjelm-Wallen after the meeting.

IT WAS agreed to send a delegation led by Poos to the Middle East next month, and to support US efforts to put peace talks back on track. The decision followed a morning debate on how the EU could improve its foreign policy in the region. “We agreed to reinforce our cooperation with the United States with the aim of getting a just and durable solution to the conflict,” said Poos, who is planning a meeting with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The Union aims to encourage Israel to stop building in East Jerusalem and to ease restrictions on the Palestinian Authorities by freeing up the territory's airport. The statement followed intense lobbying by Palestinian President Yasser Arafat last week, who asked the EU to put “constructive pressure” on Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu.