The Western Balkan countries will be a particular foreign policy priority for the Austrian Presidency. Some of the countries in this region are facing decisions of fundamental importance to their future in the coming year.
The first half of 2006 is likely to be a decisive period for the future of the State Un-ion of Serbia and Montenegro. In Montenegro, a referendum on independence has been announced during the first half of the year. During this period, negotiations for a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU will also be continued. It is anticipated that stronger links between Serbia and Montenegro and the EU will have a positive impact on the stability of the whole of South-Eastern Europe. For this rea-son, Austria has a particular interest in a successful conclusion to these negotiations. The EU also expects Serbia and Montenegro to continue to cooperate fully with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
In October 2005 the Norwegian Ambassador to NATO, Kai Eide, as Special Envoy for the UN Secretary-General, submitted a report recommending that talks begin regarding the future status of Kosovo. Secretary-General Annan then appointed Martti Ahtisaari as special envoy to conduct these negotiations. Talks began imme-diately after the appointment in November 2005. As Presidency, Austria will en-deavour to contribute to strengthening the role of the EU in Kosovo.
Following the latest progress in the reform process (police reform, reform of the armed forces), the Council approved in November the beginning of the negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina. These negotiations will continue during the Austrian Presidency.
When the negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Albania are concluded, the signing of the Agreement and the beginning of the ratification process may follow under the Austrian Presidency.
The aim of the EU’s European Neighbourhood Policy is to integrate the majority of Eastern European and Mediterranean countries in a common area of freedom, secu-rity and prosperity. (Since the June 2004 European Council, the European Neighbourhood Policy has included the following countries: Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, as well as the Palestinian Authority.) The Aus-trian Presidency will work to bring these neighbouring states closer to the EU in the framework of this policy. This is to be achieved above all by implementing the ac-tion plans tailored to each country and reviewing progress so far. The preparation of a new financing instrument for the European Neighbourhood Policy, to take effect from 2007, will also be an important concern for the Austrian Presidency. In addi-tion, the conduct of the parliamentary elections in the Ukraine in March 2006 will be subject to close scrutiny.
After the 2004 presidential elections in the Ukraine, closer links with the EU became one of that country’s chief foreign policy objectives. This objective, too, is to be achieved with the aid of the new European Neighbourhood Policy action plan, which was agreed in February 2005. The Austrian Presidency will examine an initial evaluation of the implementation so far of projects under this action plan. The EU-Ukraine Cooperation Council will meet in Brussels in spring 2006.
The central issue in relations with Russia is the implementation of the Road Maps adopted by the EU-Russian Summit in May 2005 for the “four common spaces”. (These are a Common Economic Space, a Space of Freedom, Security and Justice, a Space of Cooperation in the field of External Security and a Space of Research, Education and Culture). The six-monthly EU-Russia summit will be held in May, and is likely to discuss implementation of the road maps, closer cooperation on en-ergy and the environment, Russia’s possible accession to the WTO and possibly free trade considerations.
Support will continue for managing existing crises in Central Asia and the “frozen” conflicts on the territory of the former Soviet Union that, despite intensive interna-tional efforts, remain unresolved (in particular Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Nagorno Karabakh and Transnistria).
Transatlantic relations are of central political and economic importance to the EU. The EU will continue to implement the declarations adopted at the last EU-USA Summit in June 2005, and extend and intensify the strategic dialogue with the USA.
The next EU summit meeting with the USA is scheduled to take place during the Austrian Presidency. In preparation for this summit, work will actively continue on topics such as strengthening the economic partnership, combating terrorism, multi-lateralism and climate change, as well as the joint efforts to resolve international conflicts and crises. An important issue in this context is the involvement of parlia-mentary representatives and representatives of European and American civil society.
The continuation of the strong partnership between the EU and Canada, which share many positions and goals on international issues, is important for Austria. This part-nership will be further strengthened on the occasion of the summit meeting to be held in Canada during the first half of 2006. In the field of economic relations, an agreement to promote trade and investment could possibly be concluded in 2006.
Under the Austrian Presidency, the EU will seek to develop its strategic partnership with Latin America and the Caribbean. This means, firstly, that negotiations with Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay) on an Association Agreement will be expedited. Secondly, more detailed talks are also to be held with the Andean Community and Central America, which could include the start of negotiations on Association Agreements. Free trade arrangements are to be part of these agreements. Negotiations with the Caribbean States on Economic Partnership Agreements will be continued.
The 4th EU summit meeting with Latin America and the Caribbean will be chaired by the Federal Chancellor in Vienna in mid-May 2006. Sixty foreign delegations are expected to attend this summit, making it the largest event during the Austrian Presidency in 2006. There is to be open and dynamic debate among the delegates on multilateral, economic and social issues. Meetings are also scheduled to take place around the summit between the EU and the Andean Community, the Caribbean Community (Cariforum), Mercosur, Central America, Chile and Mexico. There will be several preparatory meetings of parliamentarians, business executives and repre-sentatives of civil society from both regions. A separate meeting will be devoted specifically to the Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean. A particular priority for Austria will be the area of research. Finally, the first business forum for leading business executives from the two regions will be held in parallel with the summit.
The Austrian EU Presidency will place great emphasis on continuing the EU’s ef-forts to resolve the crisis in the Middle East. The Middle East Quartet, comprising the EU, UN, USA and Russia, has a particularly important role in this respect. Ef-forts will continue to bring about the full implementation of the Road Map, aiming at a two-state solution.
Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip presents concrete challenges for the EU, as this withdrawal will be a success in the long term only if the Palestinians’ expecta-tions regarding economic reconstruction can be met. For Israel, it is crucial that withdrawal should lead to the end of attacks from the Gaza Strip. A new leadership of the Palestinian Authority legitimised by fair and representative parliamentary elections in January 2006 will be judged by its success in establishing the rule of law in all areas, and particularly in the enforcement of its monopoly on the use of force and the prevention of attacks by militant groups. The EU will offer its instruments to enhance the democratic process on this occasion too (e. g. an election observation mission).
Austria has always been committed to a policy of dialogue with Iran oriented to-wards specific objectives. Developments in Iran will be closely monitored during the Austrian EU Presidency, especially as regards nuclear issues. In addition to nuclear issues, it is essential for the EU that Iran takes account of the EU’s central concerns, e. g. fundamental rights, the fight against terrorism and Iran’s position as regards the Middle East peace process.
The EU is seeking to further improve relations with the government and people of Iraq. The objective is a safer, more stable and united Iraq, where prosperity and de-mocracy prevail and human rights are respected, and which can exercise its full sov-ereignty and work constructively with its neighbours and the international commu-nity.
The negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council on a free trade agreement are likely to be concluded by the end of the first half of 2006.
Asia is becoming increasingly important to the EU. The Austrian Presidency intends to continue the close contacts with Asia. Cooperation in multilateral fora, as well as the regular bilateral meetings, will be particularly important in this respect. The Euro-Asian partnership will be further strengthened by the ASEM summit which will take place under the Finnish Presidency in September 2006. Preparation for this summit will begin under the Austrian Presidency, starting with a meeting of senior officials in Vienna on 8 and 9 March 2006. A meeting of European and Asian Fi-nance Ministers will take place in Vienna on 8 and 9 April 2006.
During its Presidency, Austria will work for a more intensive dialogue with Japan, based on the 2001 EU-Japan Action Plan. An EU-Japan summit meeting will be held during the Austrian Presidency.
China is now the EU’s second largest trading partner. However, it is not only in the economic field that EU-China relations are becoming increasingly important. Aus-tria will therefore endeavour to further develop the strategic partnership with China during its Presidency. The aim should be to establish a comprehensive framework agreement, which would be the contractual basis for EU-China relations. The review of the EU arms embargo against China will continue in accordance with the decision taken by the European Council in December 2004. Other key issues will be the dia-logue on trade and energy policy as well as on human rights, social affairs and mi-gration.
The next round of EU-China human rights dialogue is planned for May 2006. Ef-forts should be made to achieve progress towards the ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by China, and towards the abolition of the death penalty in China.
The EU entered into a strategic partnership with India in November 2004. This part-nership was further consolidated at the latest summit meeting in September 2005. In particular, a comprehensive joint action plan was agreed on this occasion. The Aus-trian Presidency will endeavour to ensure this plan is implemented.
Following the general and provincial elections on 18 September 2005, the EU con-tinues to support the reconstruction of a peaceful, democratic and stable Afghani-stan. It will play its part in establishing a solid, stable foundation for the interna-tional engagement in Afghanistan in the future as well.
With regard to Africa, it will be the task of the Austrian Presidency to begin imple-mentation of the EU-Africa strategy approved in December 2005. The EU will ex-pand and deepen its dialogue with the African Union and regional organisations and support the further development of their institutional and personnel resources. Par-ticular attention is to be paid in this context to conflict prevention and resolution, combating poverty, and good governance.
The efforts by the EU to support the African Union in managing acute crises, for example in Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire and Somalia, will be continued during the Austrian Presidency. The EU will also support the difficult political transitional processes, for instance in Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea-Bissau.
The focus of the Austrian EU Presidency as regards the United Nations will be on implementing the results of the World Summit and the 60th UN General Assembly in September 2005. These include establishing new committees such as the Human Rights Council and the Peace Building Commission.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe plays an important role within the European security structure. It has already addressed the new threats in the context of a comprehensive security concept that involves combating terrorism whilst simultaneously protecting the rule of law and human rights, combating traf-ficking in human beings, tackling intolerance and discrimination and improving the situation of the Roma and Sinti. Together with the EU and the Council of Europe, the OSCE can help to bring about significant progress within its sphere of influence in democratisation processes and in establishing and strengthening constitutional structures. Austria will therefore endeavour to initiate a joint statement by the EU and OSCE regarding their cooperation.
Austria is seeking improvements in consular cooperation between EU States in order to offer better protection to EU citizens in non-EU countries. The tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia just has shown us how important this issue is. The Austrian Presi-dency will focus its efforts on establishing the necessary coordination structures and strengthening cooperation between Member States.
In practice this means improving the exchange of information in emergencies be-tween national crisis centres and to coordinating more closely and thus more effec-tively the deployment of national crisis and support teams through the central EU coordination points. In this context, Austria will also seek to promote greater coor-dination by Foreign Ministries when issuing travel warnings and advice. Attention will also be given to developing technical cooperation, for example on the means of communication used and on the psychosocial training of crisis team members.
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