EU foreign ministers discuss relations with Gulf and Eastern Partnership countries, as well as situation in Africa and Afghanistan
18 October 2021 News
Today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Svetlan Stoev took part in the regular October meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, which took place in Luxembourg. The first diplomats of the EU member states discussed relations with the Gulf countries, the Eastern Partnership, the situation in Ethiopia, Tunisia, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, the Western Balkans, as well as other hotspots and climate diplomacy.
Among the highlights on the agenda of the meeting were the Union's relations with the Arab states from the Gulf Cooperation Council. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell presented the results of his visits to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which he assessed as positive and successful.
"Bulgaria supports the deepening of cooperation and dialogue with the countries of this region. The resumption of the regular ministerial meetings in the format of the EU - Gulf Cooperation Council will contribute to the improvement of the economic relations and to the realization of common interests in a number of other spheres ", the Bulgarian Foreign Minister pointed out in his speech.
The Council discussed relations with the Eastern Partnership and the countries of the initiative, including the Eastern Partnership Summit in December 2021, preceded by a ministerial meeting in November. "We support the priorities for cooperation with our eastern partners, as well as the Economic Investment Plan. The success of the summit in December depends on the adoption of an ambitious joint declaration with a clear strategic vision for the future of the Eastern Partnership," said Minister Stoev during the discussion. The ministers decided to leave Belarus' place in the upcoming forums empty due to the regime's ongoing repression and hostility in Minsk.
Josep Borrell briefed ministers on recent developments in the Western Balkans, focusing on the situation in northern Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
„The new clashes between the police and the Serb population in Kosovska Mitrovica once again show the extremely tense situation in the region. Our messages to the parties must be balanced and take into account all possible consequences. "Any violence, regardless of which party commits it, is completely unacceptable and must be condemned," said Svetlan Stoev.
During the meeting, European first diplomats discussed recent developments in Afghanistan and the EU's efforts to launch a Regional Policy Platform for Afghanistan's neighbours.
During the working lunch, the ministers reviewed the current situation in Ethiopia and Nicaragua. In the Central American country, the situation continues to deteriorate. On the eve of the elections in early November 2021, the government in Managua acted in gross violation of the basic principles of the rule of law and democracy. The situation in Ethiopia remains extremely worrying. Urgent measures are needed to improve the humanitarian situation and stop the violence. The actions of the authorities in Addis Ababa, who expelled seven UN officials, were unanimously condemned. The danger is extremely serious, including for neighbouring countries.
The Council discussed the situation in Tunisia, Libya, Mali and Turkey's actions in Cyprus.