- Title: BELGIUM: EU Foreign Ministers arrive in Brussels
- Date: 28th July 2009
- Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (JULY 27, 2009) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER CARL BILDT GETTING OUT OF HIS CAR SOUNDMAN HOLDING MICROPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (English) SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER, CARL BILDT, SAYING: "There is no fast track for Iceland but there is obviously a rather shorter track for Iceland because they are already part of the single market and the Schengen area. But we will take one step at a time." ADVISERS WAITING (SOUNDBITE) (English) LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, VYGAUDAS USACKAS, SAYING: "I strongly believe that Iceland will be the icebreaker for the entire EU enlargement process because I mean we have to acknowledge it as a moment we're kind of -- I mean, there is a fatigue especially in some of the capitals of EU member states. And I hope that the Balkan countries will view and will work as allies with Iceland in paving the way for their own membership while doing the homework as well." CAMERAMAN HOLDING CAMERA. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER, BERNARD KOUCHNER, SAYING: "I'm doing fine." (Q: "How is the president?") "He is doing fine. There were some tests this morning. I don't know the results but up until then everything was fine. (Q: "Is there any news about 'your' French detainee in Iran?") "What does it mean my French citizen? Unfortunately, nobody paid her a visit. It was supposed to happen last week. We spoke to her on the phone and I hope that we pretty soon will realise, which means in the coming days, that she needs to be free. Unfortunately, the Ambassador didn't pay her a visit this week, as promised." UK FOREIGN SECRETARY, DAVID MILIBAND GETTING OUT OF CAR SECURITY GUARD (SOUNDBITE) (English) UK FOREIGN SECRETARY DAVID MILIBAND SAYING: "I think that we want the mission to be as effective as possible and we think that the mission is not a threat to anyone. It's important that there is openness about the situation in Georgia and that if others want to come under an EU banner, that's fine." ADVISER WALKING INTO THE COUNCIL (SOUNDBITE) (English) ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRANCO FRATTINI SAYING: "We will discuss about renewing the mission not about changing the mandate. I'm in favour of confirming the mission in Georgia. It's premature to discuss about whether to change, whether to integrate either the mandate or the number of participants particularly no new states. It's premature." EXTERIOR OF COUNCIL
- Embargoed: 12th August 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Belgium
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: International Relations,European Union
- Reuters ID: LVA3YPX69ICBF1VBL4RL1O75OAYD
- Story Text: The EU's presidency said on Monday (July 27) that it expected Iceland's membership talks with the European Union to be fast, although the North Atlantic island will not be granted any privileges over other candidates.
Speaking on his arrival at a regular meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels, Swedish Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt noted that Iceland's progress would be quicker than other countries because it already fulfils many of the criteria which make it eligible for EU membership.
This is despite enlargement Commissioner Oli Rehn forecasting problems in talks over Iceland's fishing rights and agriculture.
But Bildt said that unlike Turkey and Croatia for example, Iceland was already part of the European Economic Area and of the Schengen zone which would speed up the integration process.
"There is no fast-track for Iceland but rather a shorter track because they are already a part of the single market and the Schengen area," said Bildt.
Belonging to the single market means Iceland has to follow tough EU laws on competition, state aid and trade. In the Schengen area, people can travel without restrictions.
Iceland, a country hit hard by the economic crisis, applied to join the EU on July 16.
European Commission officials have said it is unclear how long it would take for the executive to give its assessment on Iceland, but diplomats said the fastest it had been done was 14 months.
Analysts and some politicians say speedy progress of Iceland, which applied to join the EU this month, could create frustration in the Balkans. They have also cautioned that while working with Iceland on its accession, EU governments should not forget about candidate countries from the Balkans, such as Serbia or Albania, which have been in pre-accession talks with the EU for longer than Iceland.
But Lithuanian Foreign Minister Vygaudas Usackas said that the Balkan states should be inspired by Iceland's example.
"I strongly believe that Iceland will be the icebreaker for the entire EU enlargement process because I mean we have to acknowledge it as a moment we're kind of -- I mean, there is a fatigue especially in some of the capitals of EU member states. And I hope that the Balkan countries will view and will work as allies with Iceland in paving the way for their own membership while doing the homework as well."
Ministers will also discuss the ongoing detention of French national, Clotilde Reiss, who is being held by the Iranian government over allegations of espionage.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was quizzed about his government's efforts to secure her release but was first pressed about the health of his own president - Nicolas Sarkozy - who collapsed during one of his regular jogging sessions on Sunday (July 26).
"He is doing fine. There were some tests this morning. I don't know the results but up until then everything was fine," said Kouchner.
When questioned on whether the French government had made any progress over the detention of Ms Reiss, Kouchner was less upbeat:
"Unfortunately, nobody paid her a visit. It was supposed to happen last week. We spoke to her on the phone and I hope that we pretty soon will realise, which means in the coming days, that she needs to be free. Unfortunately, the Ambassador didn't pay her a visit this week, as promised," said Kouchner.
Ministers will also discuss the fate of the 200 strong EU monitoring mission in Georgia, which was established after the conflict between Russia and Georgia in August 2008.
Despite its limited geographical reach, the ministers are expected to renew the group's mandate for another year until September 2010. Last week Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said the inclusion of U.S. observers within the mission would send a strong signal to Russia not to invade its neighbour -- and former province of the Soviet Union -- again.
Widening the group to include third parties is not a formal topic of discussion for the foreign ministers, although some were more receptive to the idea than others.
UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said it was important that the group be as effective as possible.
"I think that we want the mission to be as effective as possible and we think that the mission is not a threat to anyone. It's important that there is openness about the situation in Georgia and that if others want to come under an EU banner, that's fine," he said.
But Italian foreign minister Franco Frattini struck a more cautious note. He said he and his colleagues would discuss the renewal of the mission's mandate but added that it would be 'premature' to change it.
"We will discuss about renewing the mission not about changing the mandate. I'm in favour of confirming the mission in Georgia. It's premature to discuss about whether to change, whether to integrate either the mandate or the number of participants particularly no new states. It's premature," said Frattini.
The two-day meeting concludes on July 28. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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