The General Affairs and External Relations Council will convene in Luxembourg on 16 and 17 June for its final meeting under the Slovenian Presidency.
The Council's session on General Affairs will focus on preparations for the European Council on 19 and 20 June. The ministers will examine draft conclusions prepared by the Presidency.
After that, the future French, Czech and Swedish Presidencies will present their draft 18-month programme of the Council in the second half of 2008 and in 2009. The document focuses on long-term EU objectives and on issues expected to be covered during the upcoming 18-month period.
In the External Relations portion of the GAERC meeting, the EU foreign ministers will review the situation in the Western Balkans and are due to adopt conclusions on Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The will also discuss the visa liberalisation process, welcoming the presentation of "roadmaps" for Albania, BiH, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.
The ministers will also briefly discuss the situation in the Middle East and turn their attention to Africa, where they will review and adopt conclusions on the situation in the Great Lakes region, Sudan and Somalia, and have an exchange of views on the situation in Zimbabwe ahead of the 27 June presidential election runoff.
The Council is also expected to have a debate on relations with Cuba, especially in the light of recent changes undertaken by the Cuban government.
The ministers will also review the situation in Burma/Myanmar six weeks after Cyclone Nargis caused major devastation in the country.
The ministers have several issues on the agenda for their working lunch, among them Iran and China. After the lunch, the ministers are expected to sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina. On the margins of the Council, the EU-Israel Association Council will also take place. On Tuesday, accession conferences with Turkey and Croatia are foreseen.
