Noel Treacy (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

The work of the envoys is vital to the preparatory process as it is evident that success in September will require governments to step back from hitherto entrenched positions and take decisions in the wider interest of all members and the multilateral system that serves them. The work that the envoys are carrying out with governments is intended to complement the dialogue and debate in which members' delegations in New York are engaged, under the guidance of the president of the General Assembly.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs commenced his series of envoy visits shortly after his appointment by the Secretary General on 4 April and his subsequent briefing of his EU colleagues at the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers held on 15 and 16 April. He has subsequently met a number of Foreign Ministers, including those from within the European Union, as well as high representative Javier Solana and external relations Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner. The Minister gave an updated briefing to partners at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 23 May.

To date, the Minister has travelled to capitals to meet his counterparts from Belgium, Italy, San Marino, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia, Austria and Spain. In his capacity as envoy, the Minister addressed the Council of Europe summit, held in Warsaw on 16 and 17 May. On 18 May, he met the President and Foreign Minister of Poland. He also took the opportunity to confer with the Foreign Ministers of Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Liechtenstein. He further conferred with his fellow envoy, President Vike Freiberga of Latvia. The Minister also, on 17 May, gave the opening statement at the meeting of the foreign policy club at the Centre for International Relations in Warsaw.

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