Sweden ready to take over EU Presidency
Ararat News –Publishing (ANP) – Roni Alasor, Brussels – 23 / 6 / 2009 – Monday, 22 June, Swedish Minister for EU Affairs Cecilia Malmström and Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt gave a press briefing to around 150 journalists in Justus Lipsius building of EU Council in Brussels about the political priorities of the Sweden's EU Presidency. Under the motto “Taking on the challenges”, Sweden is ready to take over EU presidency from the Czech Republic in the next six months from 1 July 2009 to 1 January 2010.
The Swedish presidency will welcome the newly elected European Parliament and the newly appointed European commission. The three institutions together will have to solve the question of the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty and to prepare the transition of the EU to the new model of functioning. Swedish presidency of the EU will be first of all focused on the economic and financial crisis in Europe. Countering the negative effect of the crisis, recovering from the difficult finance situation and working for more employment and investments are primary objectives for Sweden.
Sweden is decided also to work for the adoption of new climate agreement for reduction of the dioxide emissions. The agreement should be signed during the international climate conference in Copenhagen in December 2009. The main aim is to stop the devastating consequences of the global warming and to find sustainable solutions for better and cleaner environment.
Apart of the two main big questions of finance crisis and climate change, Sweden is open also to the development of the external relations of the EU. Swedish presidency supports the continued enlargement process and the progress of the negotiations with Turkey and Croatia. Human rigths, democrasy and the situation of the ethnical minorities will be X-Rayed as well for the new members. The situation in the Western Balkans and Baltic Sea countries are also important regional issues in the Swedish agenda. Special attention will be given to the engagement of EU with countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Middle East region as well as Iran and Israel- Palestinian conflict.
Last but not least, Sweden will work to strengthen the cooperation between the member states in the area of freedom, justice and security. The vision for common asylum and migration policy of the EU will be presented in the Stockholm programme which Sweden hopes to get adopted by the 27 countries on the EU summit in December 2009
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