Dick will attend the monthly meeting of European Union Foreign Ministers in Brussels on Monday, the first to be held under the Belgian Presidency.

Gaza and the Middle East Peace Process will be high on the agenda.  Ministers will hear from High Representative Ashton on her recent visit to the region and will consider prospects for moving from the current US-led proximity talks to direct negotiations on final status issues.  Minister Roche will stress the urgency of action to improve basic living conditions in Gaza, including by allowing normal economic activity to resume.

On the Iran nuclear issue, Ministers will announce the EU’s implementation of the recent UN sanctions resolution, as well as further accompanying EU measures. Further items for priority attention on Monday include the present situation in Sudan and the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on Kosovo’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence.

Ministers are expected to approve the opening of accession negotiations with Iceland, which are due to begin on the following day, 27 July.  Ireland supports the opening of accession negotiations with Iceland, in view of our political, historical and cultural ties with Iceland and the very positive opinion (“avis”)  provided by the Commission in February.

Follow-up to the June European Council will also be discussed, especially the European Strategy for Jobs and Growth (“Europe 2020”).  Ministers will prepare for a European Council to be held in September which will focus on relations with strategic partners such as China and India.

The Council Decision on the organisation and functioning of the European External Action Service (EEAS) will be adopted on Monday.  The EEAS, an innovation of the Lisbon Treaty, aims to give the EU a more effective voice in the wider world.  It is hoped that it will be up and running by 1 December.