Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 13: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the EU Foreign Ministers' meeting in June 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25207/06]

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 24: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs If he will report on the most recent European Union Council of Ministers meeting. [25251/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 24 together.

I represented Ireland at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) on 12 June.

The Council heard a report by Commissioner Mandelson on the status of the negotiations in the World Trade Organisation. Minister Ahern intervened to underline Ireland's insistence on the need for a balanced outcome to the current round of WTO negotiations which respects the reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy agreed in 2003. The draft conclusions for the European Council, which took place in Brussels later that week, were discussed in some detail. As Deputies will be aware from last Wednesday's statements in the House, the European Council focused largely on the Constitution and the Future of Europe. At the GAERC, Ireland broadly welcomed the Presidency's approach in its preparations for the European Council.

Ministers also agreed the EU Common Position for the Science & Research chapter of the accession negotiations with Turkey. This allowed this particular chapter to be provisionally concluded, which represents a worthwhile step forward in the negotiations with Turkey.

The Council held discussions on the Western Balkans, and approved conclusions which emphasised the importance of improved cooperation by Serbia with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and welcomed the signature of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Albania. The Council had a separate discussion on Montenegro, and agreed that the EU and its Member States would develop their relations with the Republic of Montenegro as a sovereign, independent State, following the outcome of the recent independence referendum and the subsequent acts by the Montenegrin Parliament.

Ministers were briefed on preparations for the EU-US summit, which subsequently took place in Vienna on 21 June. The Council approved an extension of the common position on Cuba and underlined that constructive engagement and a critical and comprehensive dialogue remained the basis for the EU's policy. Ministers deplored the further deterioration of the human rights situation in Cuba since the last evaluation in June 2005, and again urged the Cuban government to unconditionally release all political prisoners. It was also agreed that work should begin at EU level on a mid-and long-term strategy on Cuba.

Over lunch, the Council discussed Iran, the Middle East Peace Process, and Iraq. Ministers were briefed by High Representative Javier Solana on his visit to Tehran on 6 June when he presented to the Iranian authorities a new proposal for resolving the Iranian nuclear issue through a long-term agreement based on mutual respect and the establishment of international confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran's programme. Ministers discussed the Middle East peace process on the basis of a presentation by High Representative Solana following his recent visit to the region. Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner informed Ministers on the state of preparations on the establishment of a temporary international mechanism designed to ensure direct delivery and supervision of assistance to the Palestinian people. Ministers discussed the situation in Iraq following the formation of the new national unity government on 20 May, as well as measures to enhance EU-Iraq relations based on Iraqi priorities in the new government's programme. They had an exchange of views in this respect with the foreign minister of the new Iraqi government, Hoshyar Zebari. Finally, under Any Other Business, there was a brief exchange on the current situation in Burma, and in Timor Leste.