Agenda Raad: EU-boycots tegen Wit-Rusland en Hamas, overstromingen in Centraal-Europa (en)

Plassnik at the General Affairs and External Relations Council in Luxembourg

The main topics of the discussion at today's meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council of the European Union chaired by Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik were the latest developments in the Middle East and the situation following the elections in Belarus. The Foreign Ministers also discussed the situation in Iran and Ukraine. Another issue discussed was the external aspects of the EU sustainable development strategy, with a view to the revision and planned adoption of the revised strategy by the European Council in June 2006.

"Today we decided to impose a visa ban on President Lukashenko and a further 30 Belarusian leaders, who are responsible for violating international election standards and for the harsh measures against civil society and the democratic opposition", Plassnik declared. In addition, she said the EU had again demanded the immediate release and full rehabilitation of all political prisoners and respect for the basic rights of freedom of the press and freedom of expression. Plassnik stressed that these targeted measures are not aimed at the population of Belarus itself. "It is now crucial to support civil society and democracy in Belarus. "We have decided to step up direct contacts with the people and we support the proposals Alexander Milinkevich made during his visit to Vienna on 3 April on making it easier for young people from Belarus to obtain scholarships in the EU", Plassnik said, adding that the Belarusian population's access to independent information in the media also needs to be improved.

With regard to the situation in the Middle East, the Council noted with regret the absence of any sign of a significant change of attitude on the part of Hamas. The Foreign Ministers therefore supported the Commission's decision to suspend direct payments and technical assistance to the Palestinian Authority as a precautionary measure, whereby Plassnik stressed that the Member States will take the same approach. "Our policy is not to threaten or blackmail, nor is it about some kind of collective punishment. However, we owe it to our voters and the taxpayers to see to it that tax revenue is not used to finance violence or terror", Plassnik said. The EU will nevertheless continue to support the Palestinian people and to provide basic humanitarian assistance. "Our aim is not to bring about the failure of the Hamas government, but to persuade it to accept our criteria. Our aim is to see all parties contribute to a positive development in the Middle East by peaceful means", she declared. Plassnik also said that the EU Foreign Ministers have agreed to refrain from any contacts at a political level with the Palestinian Authority.

The unusual floods that are severely affecting several parts of Central Europe were also discussed at the meeting. "The EU and its Member States have expressed their solidarity with the countries and regions affected and also offered their condolences at the loss of life. The Commission will coordinate the possible assistance." Plassnik added that both the civil protection mechanism and the EU Solidarity Fund could in principle be used for this purpose.

At the beginning of the press conference Plassnik also mentioned the agreement reached on the Financial Perspective 2007-2013 in the previous week. "This is a success for Europe as a whole, and the positive outcome of the spirit of cooperation in the work with the European Parliament and the Commission in the negotiations, which were not always easy", Plassnik said. "The specific increase in financial resources for the EU's external policy that came out of this agreement will help strengthen our European peace-building and security policy in the interests of our citizens", she concluded.