By Daisy Ayliffe - 14th June 2006
EU leaders will heap pressure on the Sudanese government to bring perpetrators to justice for crimes committed in Darfur.
Khartoum will come under the spotlight at the gathering of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.
The Sudanese government is accused of turning a blind eye to violence against internally displaced persons as well as women and girls.
This week the UN backed court investigating war crimes in Sudan's Darfur region has documented thousands of civilian deaths, hundreds of alleged rapes and a "significant number" of massacres that killed hundreds of people at a time.
A special UN investigative commission concluded in January that crimes against humanity had occurred in Darfur - where an estimated 180,000 people have died in violence that began in 2003.
In line with its ongoing commitment to Africa, EU leaders are also set to restate their commitment to reinforcing troops in the Congo.
Western Balkans
Closer to Europe’s borders, Serbia will come under renewed pressure to cooperate fully with the ICTY.
EU talks with Serbia were halted in May over Belgrade’s failure to locate and arrest wanted war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic.
Belgrade will also be called on to pursue constructive dialogue with its now independent neighbour Montenegro.
The Bosnian authorities will be pressured to implement police reforms in order to keep their EU association talks moving. A similar message will be sent to the authorities in Albania.
Middle East
In the Middle East, EU member states will express hope for finding a negotiated settlement to the ongoing diplomatic spat with Iran.
European leaders will underline the importance of the understandings reached between the EU3, China and Russia earlier this month.
“These understandings offer the chance for a negotiated agreement with Iran,” the draft conclusions read.
Brussels will also welcome the formation of the new national unity government in Iraq.
“This is a major and important step continuing the transformation of Iraq into a democratic country,” EU leaders are due to say.
Syria will also be on the agenda – as heads of state press Damascus to “grasp the hand offered by the Lebanese government.”
Ties between Lebanon and Syria have been strained since the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri last year.
EU leaders will also condemn the “serious incidents” and air violations which took place on the Blue Line late last month.
The Blue Line is a border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel - drawn by the UN for the purposes of determining whether Israel had withdrawn from Lebanon in 2000.
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