Spring faces thorny issues at meeting of foreign ministers

THE Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, chairing his first meeting of EU foreign ministers here today, laces the challenge of steering through two controversial debates - both involving clashes with the US. On both issues, former Yugoslavia and an increasingly bitter trade dispute, the EU seems set to defy President Clinton.

In presenting the programme of the Irish presidency in the foreign policy field, Mr Spring is expected to emphasise the Union's active support for the peace process in former Yugoslavia and to report on his own visit last week to Belgrade, Sarajevo and Zagreb.

Ministers must face up to two difficult issues - the continuing refusal of the Bosnian Serb leader, Dr Radovan Karadzic, to distance himself from political life or to surrender himself for trial at the International Court in The Hague, and the associated question of whether his party should therefore be allowed to contest the forthcoming elections.

Diplomatic sources suggest that the EU is likely to take a more pragmatic view of the issue than the US, preferring to allow the elections to proceed. Mr Spring is understood to feel that making a martyr of Dr Karadzic and his party may force the other Serb parties into opposing the election process.

The Tanaiste's own domestic experience of dealing with political intransigence should give him an advantage in brokering a common EU position.

But although the British Foreign Secretary, Mr Malcolm Rifkind, will be present the ministers are unlikely to touch on the sensitive issue of the Northern Ireland peace process. Mr Rifkind is not a central player in the peace process and, while he and Mr Spring may have a brief bilateral exchange, both governments have preferred only to raise the issue formally at EU level when they are in agreement.

The ministers will also have to come to an agreement on the future of the EU's probably reduced role in Mostar in the wake of elections which have done little for reconciliation.

The ministers are expected to resist pressure from economic sanctions to be imposed on Burma following the death in custody of an honorary consul who represented Denmark, Finland, Norway and Switzerland in Rangoon.

The ministers will firmly condemn Burma over the death of Mr James Leander Nichols but resist Danish pressure for further action, a senior British official said.

The meeting is likely to hear from the Greeks that they are still not in a position to unblock a package of aid to the Mediterranean countries because of their dispute with Turkey over the Aegean.

Mr Spring will also stress the need during the presidency to restore momentum to the Middle East peace process and particularly to the principle of Palestinian self rule.

Tomorrow, the foreign ministers will tackle the increasingly thorny issue of trade relations with the US in the wake of the denial by the US last week of visas to a number of British businessmen over their companies's links with Cuba.

President Clinton is expected to sign tonight the final part of the Helms Burton legislation which allows US courts to seize the assets of companies trading in the US which have assets in Cuba.

If he does, and continues to deny visas, Britain has already threatened retaliation against US businessmen and legal action at the World Trade organisation. It seems likely that the EU ministers, furious at the US legislation, will join Britain and others in collective sanctions.

Meanwhile, in Dublin this morning officials from Ireland, the Commission, and the US sit down for talks on improving cooperation in the fight against drugs.