4 December General Affairs Council

Date: 07/12/1995

NIGERIAN athletes will be barred from competing in the EU under new sanctions approved by foreign ministers to punish Lagos for executing nine political activists last month. Ministers agreed to deny visas to official delegations and national teams, including Nigeria's soccer team, which had planned to train in the Netherlands this month. They also agreed to expel Nigerian military officials from Europe and to block entry to Nigerian government and security force members and their families. European military attachés will also be withdrawn from Nigeria. The new sanctions are in addition to the arms embargo and aid freeze imposed by the EU last month.

FOREIGN ministers welcomed the Bosnian peace agreement struck on 21 November in Dayton, Ohio as a “very good basis for peace and reconciliation in the former Yugoslavia”. They reaffirmed their determination to “make a substantial contribution” to the peace implementation, but also called for the support of the international community. After the peace accord is signed by the warring parties on 14 December, EU member states will be ready to consider recognising the Former Yugoslav Republic (FYR), ministers said. They added that the EU will continue sending humanitarian aid to the region “as long as the need exists”.

EU-Swiss negotiations aimed at free circulation of people seem to be foundering. After hearing a report from Commission negotiators, ministers instructed the Commission to get back to work “to pursue actively and with determination” the desired opening of Switzerland's borders to EU workers. Since Swiss voters turned down the chance to join the European Economic Area three years ago, Switzerland has declined to give EU citizens greater freedom to live and work there.

ESTONIA wants to join the EU to be part of a partnership, not just to receive funding, says Estonia's Deputy Prime Minister Siim Kallas. After his meeting with EU foreign ministers, they asked the Commission to give its opinion on the Baltic state joining the Union.

MINISTERS agreed to “long-term relations” with Chile on political and economic matters. They also expressed a desire to coordinate EU and Chilean positions within multilateral organisations such as the World Trade Organisation. Regular meetings of foreign ministers and other senior officials should “mark the beginning of a closer and more profound relationship”.

THE EU is also pushing for closer ties with Latin America. Foreign ministers agreed that the EU needs to support Latin America's democratic progress through “cooperative actions”. They also stressed the need for economic reforms, greater trade and development of the private sector through the promotion of small companies, industry, investment and scientific and technological research. Ministers also emphasised the need to fight drug production and trafficking.

ON the 20th anniversary of EC-China relations, foreign ministers said they wanted to bring the political and military power back into the world economy. Outlining the main points of a future cooperation strategy with Beijing, ministers said the EU should target sectors of the Chinese economy and work to bring China into world trade and investment rules. They also want to strengthen environmental policies in China.