Informeel overleg om debat over toekomst EU-grondwet te structureren (en)

During the meeting of the Main Committee of the National Council of 21 March and Wednesday's joint press conference with Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel on the forthcoming European Council, Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik commented on the main topics of the meeting of Foreign Ministers in Brussels on 23 March in the margins of the European Council.

"In addition to the future-oriented topics on the European Council agenda - jobs, growth and energy - I shall informally initiate the debate on the future of Europe again during the meeting with my colleagues on the eve of the summit", Foreign Minister Plassnik explained. "I wish to take up the threads of the discussion once again and set the ball rolling at foreign minister level. The objective is not to take specific decisions as yet, but to structure the forthcoming debate. This is part of our strategy of seeking to rebuild citizens' confidence in Europe. Our aim is to point up the way ahead, to develop a common, well-coordinated plan, by June", stated Plassnik. "During this phase, it is unrealistic to work on the text of the Constitutional Treaty itself. It is more a matter of addressing, and trying to find solutions to, specific issues of concern to Europe's citizens, as the European Council will do in the priority area of growth and employment."

In this debate on the future, the Foreign Ministers will also consider the discussion on the enlargement of the European Union and its borders. Plassnik referred to the criterion of the EU's ability to accept new members advocated by Austria in October 2005. "At that time, the criterion was criticised in some quarters as an empty formula. Last week's plenary debate in the European Parliament has shown that this issue will now be approached from all political angles. After breaking the ice, we are now entering a phase of broad debate. I trust that objective and frank talks can now be held on this issue", said Plassnik. "We must also be aware of our responsibility as a community based on values and the rule of law and adopt a differentiated approach - country by country," she added.

With regard to the work being carried out by the Austrian Presidency at foreign minister level, Plassnik referred among other topics to the genuine progress the Presidency had made during the first few weeks, such as the regulation on financial assistance for the Turkish-Cypriot community, the unblocking of the "Bilateral II" package with Switzerland and the "Salzburg Declaration" on the Western Balkans. "At their meeting in Salzburg, the Foreign Ministers confirmed the chosen path and the EU perspective as a reform driver for the Western Balkans. Together with the European Commission, the Austrian Presidency has undertaken a programme to give concrete form to this perspective, step by step. The aim is to implement a strategy of encouragement, with the common European goal in mind", said Plassnik.

The Foreign Minister commented on the Commission's intention of submitting a draft negotiation mandate for relaxing visa restrictions with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. She said it was important to give young people in particular the option to experience the European perspective in practice. It was clear, however, that the countries concerned still had to make progress in many areas, including the rule of law and security.

Concerning the prison camp in Guantanamo, Plassnik stated that some Member States of the European Union and allies of the United States had made repeated calls for Guantanamo to be closed. "This was important and the right thing to do, but not sufficient. Based on the principle that no one should be kept in a legal vacuum, the EU has been conducting a specific legal dialogue with the United States for some considerable time geared to the application of humanitarian international law and human rights in the fight against terrorism. We assume that Guantanamo will soon be consigned to the past," stated the Minister, stressing the need for a creditable means of combating terrorism in accordance with human rights.