Joint Committee on European Affairs, 11 June 2009, Minister’s Opening Statement
Mr Chairman, Members of the Committee,
Thank you for the invitation to assess and review this month’s
agenda for the General Affairs and External Relations Council,
which will be the last under the Czech Presidency.
Before embarking on a preview of the extensive agenda I want to
preface my statement with a summary of developments at the May
Council.
MAY GAERC REVIEW
Lisbon Treaty Discussion
The principal item discussed during the General Affairs session of
last month’s meeting was the European Council agenda. At last
month’s GAERC it was not anticipated that the Lisbon Treaty would
be discussed. Member States, however, during initial remarks,
availed of the opportunity to express their support for Ireland.
The Presidency assured partners that they would do their utmost to
reach a successful conclusion of the negotiations on our legal
guarantees. Member States were supportive of the approach being
taken, that is to flesh out the substance of the guarantees
promised to Ireland at the December European Council in relation to
taxation, defence, the provisions of the Constitution on right to
life, education and family and the solemn declaration on workers’
rights. This, of course, will be in addition to the agreement we
reached in December, that each Member State will retain a
Commissioner in the event that the Treaty of Lisbon enters into
force.
There were still a number of outstanding issues at that stage that
remained to be negotiated in the intervening period. Detailed and
intensive work is taking place in Brussels at official level. I
myself have engaged with a number of colleagues on the matter, in
face-to-face meetings and by telephone.
External Relations
Discussion on External Relations issues focused on Sri Lanka which
was of particular interest to members of the Committee last
month.
The Council reiterated its call on the Government of Sri Lanka to
proceed urgently towards a comprehensive political process. We
called on the Government and the L.T.T.E. to take all necessary
steps to prevent further loss of life and called for the alleged
violations of international humanitarian law and human rights to be
investigated through an independent inquiry. Looking ahead,
there are three main priorities now that the conflict is
over. Firstly, we must ensure the safety and welfare of all
displaced civilians and ensure that they have access to
humanitarian support. Secondly, a post-conflict strategy must
be put in place without delay. This will need to focus on
reconstruction; economic and social development and the restoration
of basic services in the North. Finally, an inclusive
reconciliation and peace process must be initiated. I welcome
the Sri Lankan President’s stated intention to pursue a negotiated
settlement with the Tamil community and very much hope that this
can begin at an early date.
Development Cooperation
The General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting in May
also dealt with Development Co-operation matters. Ireland was
represented by Minister of State Peter Power.
An important aspect of the current global financial and economic
situation is its impact in developing countries. Minister
Power and his EU colleagues agreed on Council Conclusions which
will form the EU position for the upcoming high level UN conference
on the crisis. The focus of the EU’s response is on quick impact
short-term measures. These will give special attention to the most
vulnerable developing countries with limited resilience capacity.
Ireland supports the EU’s efforts to use all the sources and
instruments available to leverage assistance aimed at stimulating
growth, investment, trade and job creation in the developing world.
There was a discussion on transatlantic cooperation between the
United States and Europe in the development field. Minister
Power informed our EU partners about recent bilateral contacts with
Secretary of State Clinton during which cooperation on food
security was discussed.
Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and African,
Caribbean and Pacific countries was also discussed. At the
meeting Trade Commissioner Ashton referred to the need for
flexibility in the negotiations. This is an important point for
Ireland and Minister Power called for the different requirements of
each ACP state to be respected. He also urged that full use should
be made of all available WTO mechanisms for flexibility in the
ongoing negotiations.
GENERAL AFFAIRS ITEMS
Preparation for the European Council – Legal Guarantees
Mr Chairman,
Turning to next week’s GAERC, the principal General Affairs agenda
item is preparation of the European Council. We do not anticipate
that the meeting on next Monday and Tuesday will engage in a
lengthy discussion of the legal guarantees or the outcome of the
European Council, as negotiations will be on-going at both official
and political level. Political sign off on the guarantees will take
place at the European Council.
Member States are being as helpful as possible to us, but at this
stage it is about finding a balance between the legal guarantees
that we require to meet the concerns of the Irish people and
respecting the already-completed ratification procedures of other
Member States. With the exception of taxation, our guarantees will
be Ireland-specific. We have to be careful that in getting what we
want we do not upset procedures for others. We have made clear,
however, that these guarantees will form a key part of any package
that is put to the people in another referendum.
We are confident of a successful outcome at the June Council; one
which promotes both the interests of Ireland and of Europe. The
results of the European elections have shown that Irish people want
us to move forward and to remain at the heart of Europe. Parties
opposed to the Treaty have no mandate to continue working against
the best interests of this country. One year on, there is
still no sign of their much heralded ‘Plan B’. The ‘Back to the
future’ slogans didn’t work. Our future is firmly at the heart of
the European Union; we are working to secure this.
The Government has already secured the important concession of
retaining one Commissioner per Member State and is close to
agreeing legal guarantees on the concerns raised last year.
Reaching an agreement which matches the expectations of the People
and fulfils the promise made in December is our immediate priority
in these negotiations.
Financial Situation and Climate Change
At its meeting on 18 May, Ministers held a preliminary discussion
of the first draft of the annotated draft agenda of the June
European Council, including on the areas of the Economic, financial
and social situation and Climate change and sustainable
development
The GAERC next Monday is not expected to dwell in detail on these
issues.
Finance Ministers agreed a number of important dossiers at their
ECOFIN meeting on 9 June, including on strengthening European
financial supervision, a report on the first six months of the
European Economic Recovery Plan, and on a report on bank support
schemes in Member States. These issues will be taken up by
Heads of State and Government at the European Council.
On Climate Change, the key issue for the European Council will be
to ensure that the Union continues to play a leading role in
preparing for the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change, which
takes place next December.
EXTERNAL RELATIONS ITEMS
Mr Chairman,
Turning to the External Relations agenda at next week’s meeting,
there are two items of particular interest to Ireland, namely, the
Middle East Peace Process and Cuba.
Middle East Peace Process
Looking first at the Middle East Peace Process, the Council is
scheduled to have a broad discussion of developments in the region,
following the failure to have any discussion at the May
GAERC. Substantive Conclusions, the first since
January, are due to be adopted; while the Council is
also likely to consider and adopt Conclusions following last
Sunday’s parliamentary elections in Lebanon. En marge of the GAERC,
the annual EU-Israel Association Council is due to take place and
this will provide the first opportunity for substantive exchanges
with the new Israeli government and its Foreign Minister, Avigdor
Lieberman.
This month’s discussion will be extremely timely for a variety of
reasons. The first and most obvious is the continuing deterioration
in the overall situation on the ground. The humanitarian situation
in Gaza remains very serious, with no end to the blockade in sight.
The prospects for Palestinian reconciliation remain bleak, with
renewed fighting and tensions between Hamas and Fatah-affiliated
Palestinian security forces reported in recent days. Perhaps of
most concern is the continuing expansion of settlements and
evidence of forced evictions in the West Bank, which, apart from
being contrary to international law and a serious obstacle to peace
negotiations, carries within it the very real risk of inciting
tensions and sparking renewed conflict throughout the Palestinian
territories.
The dangers of the current situation are abundantly
clear. As President Obama has remarked, “the current
trajectory in the region is profoundly negative”.
If there is any cause for optimism at the moment, it comes from the
very clear leadership and commitment which President Obama and his
Administration, including Secretary of State Clinton, are
demonstrating in order to get the Middle East peace process back on
track and to have serious negotiations resumed between the
Netanyahu government and the Palestinian Authority led by President
Abbas.
President Obama’s inspiring speech on US-Muslim relations in Cairo
last Thursday has very clearly set out what is required to be done
if the current negative trends are to be reversed. The Netanyahu
Government must commit to the two-State solution and halt all
expansion of settlements. The Palestinians must abandon all
violence and develop their capacity to govern. What was also
notable was President Obama’s call upon Hamas to accept its
responsibilities and play its role in fulfilling Palestinian
national aspirations by ending violence, recognising past
agreements and also Israel’s right to exist.
The European Union needs to complement the very clear and
unambiguous messages delivered by President Obama in Cairo by
transmitting some clear messages of its own at this
time. In particular, with a view to the Association
Council with Israel, we need to reinforce the call upon the
Netanyahu government to give clear evidence of its commitment to
honour previous agreements and actively pursue a negotiated
two-State solution. Prime Minister Netanyahu is due to deliver a
major policy address next Sunday, following an internal policy
review within his Office. I look forward to this
providing evidence of a positive response to the many calls which
have been made in recent weeks, not least by President Obama and
his administration, for a new approach by Israel, particularly on
the vexed issue of settlements and the everyday unjust restrictions
imposed on ordinary Palestinians.
I want to say a word about the proposed upgrade of relations with
Israel which the Council approved last December and which will be
considered at the Association Council meeting with Foreign Minister
Lieberman. As Deputies will know, I have consistently argued that,
while not opposed to this upgrade, it can only realistically take
place in the context of overall developments in the peace process.
I believe that this view is now shared by a clear majority of my EU
counterparts and continues to be the only realistic approach, in
light of all that has happened since last December. While
discussions at official level are continuing in Brussels, I am
reasonably confident that this is the line that will prevail and
that the discussions with Foreign Minister Lieberman next Monday
will make clear that the basic political conditions do not exist on
the ground at present for proceeding with the upgrade in political
relations agreed at the December GAERC.
Finally, on the Middle East, the Council are also due to adopt
Conclusions welcoming the peaceful outcome of the parliamentary
elections in Lebanon on 7 June which saw the re-election of the
outgoing March 14 coalition led by Prime Minister Siniora. These
were crucial and historic elections for Lebanon and their
successful conduct, confirmed by both the EU and other
international observers, represent a triumph for Lebanese democracy
and will hopefully contribute to overall stability and the pursuit
of peace within the region.
Cuba
Turning then to Cuba, this item is on the agenda as, each year in
June, the Council undertakes a review of the Common Position on
Cuba.
Updated Council Conclusions, which are currently under discussion,
will be adopted. The Common Position was adopted in 1996 and
remains the main context for the EU’s relationship with Cuba. It is
intended to encourage a process of peaceful transition towards a
pluralist democracy, promote human rights and improve the living
conditions of the Cuban people. The EU seeks a constructive
engagement with Cuba and a dialogue with both the authorities and
civil society.
Ireland wishes to continue to improve relations with the Cuban
Government, although we remain concerned about human rights
violations in Cuba and strongly favour continued dialogue also with
the political opposition and civil society. For the EU to
have influence during this transition period, it is important for
us to remain engaged with Cuba and to develop dialogue both with
the authorities and with civil society.
Mr Chairman,
That concludes my comments on the agenda for next week’s General
Affairs and External Relations Council. I want to thank
colleagues for their attention and as ever, I would be delighted to
hear the views of the Committee on the agenda items of next week’s
important meeting for Ireland.
ENDS+++
Press Office
11 June 2009
