Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

As always the main issues at the spring European Council meeting were economic. However, this time discussion on climate change was very much to the fore, which was greatly welcomed by Ireland. The NPT review is following the normal five-year cycle, which leads up to 2010. We are now co-ordinating the preparations with others for the first preparatory committee meeting next month. As I have said previously, Ireland was very disappointed with the last review, which was not for the want of trying on our behalf. In the coming months we will continue to work to ensure that some tangible results come from the NPT review.

On the agreement between Russia and Germany, and the energy discussions, obviously countries will have bilateral arrangements with other countries as happens all the time particularly on mainland Europe. However, in coming months the EU as a whole will negotiate with Russia on an energy agreement between the two blocs.

The issue of Iran is always discussed and was discussed among Ministers in more or less an informal way. It did not form part of the conclusions of the Council. However, at a separate meeting, Foreign Ministers discussed the Middle East and the Iranian situation as well as Sudan.

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