EU sets three main priorities<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): This year will be an onerous time for the
\nEuropean Union. Critical developments are scheduled to take place
\nthat could set the tone for the EU as it enters the next
\nmillennium.<\/p>\n
As president of the EU for the first half of the year, the
\nNetherlands will have their hands full.<\/p>\n
"Our presidency comes at a very important moment in the
\ndevelopment of the European Union," Dutch Ambassador to Jakarta,
\nPaul Brouwer, said in a recent interview.<\/p>\n
The Netherlands took over the rotational seat of the EU from
\nIreland at the beginning of this year. It will be succeeded in
\nJuly by Luxembourg.<\/p>\n
Three main priorities have been set up for the Dutch six month
\npresidency of the EU.<\/p>\n
The first is the successful conclusion of the Inter-
\ngovernmental Conference which will hopefully direct the EU into
\nthe next century. This will include institutional housecleaning
\nin anticipation of new members and establishing sharper
\ndefinitions for the EU's political objectives.<\/p>\n
The Inter-governmental Conference, which began in March last
\nyear, will probably set the EU on a smooth course for the coming
\nyears. It will also gauge the success of the Dutch presidency.<\/p>\n
Despite already committing themselves to concluding the
\nconference by the middle of this year, it remains to be seen
\nwhether political will can overcome the continued squabbling and
\npersistent obstacles remaining.<\/p>\n
The Netherlands will have their hands full in trying to
\nreconcile these differences when the EU meet to conclude the
\nconference in Amsterdam later this year.<\/p>\n
The second priority is preparation for the European Monetary
\nUnion (EMU). The Dutch presidency will have to lay the ground
\nwork in determining which EU members will join the third stage of
\nthe EMU when it begins on Jan. 1, 1999.<\/p>\n
Apart from the enforcement of a strict budgetary discipline,
\nan exchange rate mechanism will also have to be formulated for EU
\nmembers who participate in this stage.<\/p>\n
The third priority is preparations for the admission of new
\nmembers. Countries like Bulgaria, Rumania, Poland, Hungary and
\nSlovakia are already knocking on the EU's door. While analysts
\nbelieve no new members are expected to accede in the next few
\nyears, it will be up to The Hague to foster even closer dialog
\nwith potential members and anticipate possible problems that may
\noccur during the integration of these new members.<\/p>\n
While these three priorities are likely to dominate the
\nattention of the Dutch presidency, external relations are also
\nlikely to be a factor.<\/p>\n
"The presidency also plays an important role in many
\ninternational affairs. I could mention for instance the
\npeacekeeping processes like in the former Yugoslavia," Ambassador
\nBrouwer said.<\/p>\n
Areas of concentration will include the Middle East peace
\nprocess, developments in the former Yugoslavia and transatlantic
\nrelations.<\/p>\n
Dutch Foreign Minister Hans Van Mierlo will also co-chair the
\n12th EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting with Singapore Foreign Minister
\nS. Jayakumar later this month in Singapore.<\/p>\n
The meeting comes at a delicate time in EU-ASEAN relations
\nafter southeast Asian leaders last year warned that EU's
\ncontinued persistence in "extraneous" issues such as human rights
\nin the cooperation framework could jeopardize ties between the
\ntwo regional groups.<\/p>\n
Ambassador Brouwer said the Netherlands as EU president is
\ndedicated to the success of the upcoming meeting in Singapore and
\nthat discussions of this delicate issue would be conducted in a
\nspirit of mutual respect and non-confrontation.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the overall responsibilities of the EU presidency,
\nBrouwer explained that The Hague has to advance topics which are
\nbeyond mere domestic consumption. "One should realize that during
\nsuch a presidency, there is not so much a national agenda but a
\nEuropean Agenda," he said.<\/p>\n
Brouwer added that despite it being rotational in nature, the
\npresidency of the EU is still a distinguished episode.<\/p>\n
"It's always a special occurrence. It's a heavy
\nresponsibility," he said while underlining the duties of the
\npresidency which includes the maintenance of continuity and good
\nguardianship of EU policy matters.<\/p>\n
He added that it is also very important to promote the concept
\nof open regionalism. "It would be a set back if the regions were
\nto close up or became isolated from each other. So it is very
\nimportant that regional development goes hand-in-hand with
\nglobalization."<\/p>\n
"We in the European Union must be careful not to keep the
\nUnion from the outside world," he said. (mds)<\/p>",
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