Tough times for the EU’s foreign policy

By Andrew Beatty

Date: 30/06/05

The EU's foreign policy agenda in the next six months will be a mix of the Western Balkans, Middle East and important world summits.

A UN report on Kosovo, expected in the summer, will prompt talks on the region's final status. While the talks are likely to define its status as something between independence and reintegration to Serbia, much diplomacy will be needed to avoid exacerbating tensions on both sides.

Cyprus will also be on the UK's agenda, after the rejection of the EU-backed Annan plan last year, which would have seen the island enter the EU united.

With the UK acting as a 'guarantor' state for southern Cyprus and British troops still stationed there, London is likely to try to apply pressure on the authorities in Nicosia to go back to the negotiating table.

But distrust of the UK on the part of some Greek Cypriots could make the task difficult.

With withdrawal of Israeli troops scheduled to start 45 days after the UK takes over the reigns, the Middle East peace process will be firmly on the agenda.

In the wake of Iranian elections, the UK will have to redouble efforts to secure assurances that Iran does not pursue nuclear capabilities for military ends.

The UK presidency will have to implement European Neighbourhood Policy agreements with Ukraine, Moldova, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Tunisia and Morocco and negotiate new action plans for Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Egypt and Lebanon.

A special UN session in the autumn will look at reform of the Security Council, the commission on human rights and other UN bodies. Although there is no common EU position on Security Council reform, the UK, one of the five members with a permanent seat in the Security Council, will have to push hard for the reforms outlined by Secretary General Kofi Annan's high-level panel.

Article outlines the EU's foreign policy agenda during the UK Presidency of the Council, July-December 2005. Items were to include the final status of Kosovo, the Cyprus question, Iran and the implementation of European Neighbourhood Policy agreements.