Iranian nuclear issue, the WTO talks and fighting terrorism are among the top
of the agenda for the European Union (EU)- US summit, which is due to be held
today in Vienna, it was revealed yesterday.
On Tuesday night, U.S. President George W. Bush arrived at Vienna, and at the
summit on Wednesday he is expected to hold talks with Austrian Chancellor
Wolfgang Schuessel, who holds the revolving EU presidency, European Commission
President Jose Barroso, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and other
officials.
Prior to Bush's visit to Vienna, the European Commission (EC),the executive
body of the EU, said there are four "main topics" on the agenda of the one-day
summit, namely, "foreign policy", "energy", "economy and trade", and "climate
change".
As for foreign policy, the EC press release explains that it would mainly
focuses on Iran, the Middle East and promotion of democracy.
As for economy and trade, the EC said the summit is aimed to move towards
conclusion of the Doha WTO round negotiations, maintaining open investment
regimes, and adopting a strategy for the enforcement of Intellectual Property
Rights in third countries.
The EU will also raise the need to extend the US Visa Waiver Program to all
citizens of EU Member States.
This was echoed by the U.S. side.
"Iran will certainly be a topic with the EU leadership, but I think it will
be simply to review the bidding, where we are, and reaffirm what has been very
good cooperation and solidarity on the international community," White House
National Security Adviser Steve Hadley said prior to Bush's tour.
On May 31, the U.S. sharply changed its position on Iran by agreeing to join
the EU to hold direct talks with Iran if Tehran suspends its current nuclear
program.
On June 1, the U.S. China, Russia, France, Britain and Germany agreed in
Vienna on a new package of resolving the Iranian nuclearissue, and it was
presented by Solana on June 6, but Tehran has not yet made formal response.
Trade is another issue that will come under scrutiny in Vienna, particularly
the outlook for progress in the current round of world trade negotiations.
Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are struggling to meet a
year-end deadline for completion of the so-called Doha round of trade talks. In
a recent Washington address, President Bush acknowledged the talks are in
trouble, and called on all nations to make concessions.
"Now is the time for the world to come together, and make this world a free
trading world, not only for the benefit of our own economies, but as an
important part of the strategy to reduce poverty around the world," Bush said.
However, EU trade officials complain the United States is calling on others
to take action, but is not willing to make enough concessions of its own,
particularly in the area of agricultural trade.
Energy security and cooperation is an issue to be highlighted by the EU side
at the upcoming summit.
Following the Russia-Ukraine gas dispute last Christmas, the EU attached
vital importance to energy security, and later the EU finalized a common energy
policy.
It was reported that the EU tried to join hands with the U.S. to come up with
a common policy on energy for the G8 summit in July.
Against the will of the United States, however, the EU is preparing to press
Bush on thorny issues like closing of Guantanamo military prison and clarifying
CIA flights in Europe.
Last week, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution, urging
the EU leaders to raised the above issues at the EU-U.S. summit.
During the EU summit last Thursday, Austrian foreign minister Ursula Plassnik
told a press conference that those issues would be discussed at Wednesday's
summit.
Bush will remain in Vienna for less than 24 hours, before heading on to
Budapest, Hungary.