COUNCIL OF MINISTERS: IGC, DEFENCE AND DEVELOPMENT TOP LUXEMBOURG AGENDA.

IGC.

The EU's Irish Presidency will outline its plans for the re-launch of the Inter-Governmental Conference. Formal talks will not resume before May 17, and an agreement on the Constitutional Treaty should be reached by the European Council meeting in Brussels on June 17 and 18. Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen is expected to propose a two-day IGC session on May 17-18, the first formal step to conclude the talks.

At the March 25-26 EU Summit, the EU leaders unanimously committed themselves to reaching a deal on the Constitution by the June EU Summit. The new momentum was created by a change of Government in Spain and of the Prime Minister in Poland. The two countries' refusal to compromise on the issue of vote-weighting in the Council of Ministers was widely blamed for the breakdown of the Constitution talks at the EU Summit in December 2003. The time it has taken for the new governments to actually assume office is the explanation why formal talks have not started earlier. The proposed Irish timetable will leave the EU with only one more Foreign Affairs Council before the June Summit deadline. However, the Presidency is not ruling out an extra meeting of Ministers if it is called for. At this stage, bilateral contacts are taking place to find a compromise to pave the way for a final deal.

Defence.

The Ministers will look at whether to send a possible European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) mission, including a military component, in Bosnia. They will also review preparations for a seamless transition from SFOR to an ESDP mission in Bosnia. The EU is ready to lead a military mission in Bosnia following SFOR, with two aims: to continue implementation of the Paris/Dayton Peace Agreement, and to support the Stabilisation and Association Process (SAP). The EU is already engaged in co-operation with BiH in many sectors including security. It has a police mission of over 500 international police officers (EUPM) as well as a monitoring mission on the ground (EUMM). It is called upon further to enhance its commitment to Bosnia by assuming increased security responsibilities with the post-SFOR mission. The military engagement would support the EU's policy and the already substantial assistance it has granted the country.

The Ministers will also adopt Conclusions on:

Serbia and Montenegro/Kosovo, as concerns implementation of the "standards before status" policy on Kosovo, dialogue between the communities in Kosovo and between Belgrade and...