The agenda for the European Union’s Foreign Ministers’ Council in Brussels, which Minister Giulio Terzi is attending, is packed with “burning” international issues. From the situation in the Middle East to that in Egypt, as well as Syria, with the meeting between the 27 European heads of diplomacy and the opposition to the Damascus regime.
Syria – commitment for a political solution
The foreign ministers invited the President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition, Moaz Al-Khatib, to meet them. A meeting that Italy too was keen to see, given our commitment in supporting the opposition and on the humanitarian front. On Syria, the meeting will discuss the international community’s efforts to reach a political solution to the crisis. The agenda also includes the recent developments in Egypt.
The Council takes place just days from the 30th EU-Russia summit on 21 December 2012. As Terzi has pointed out, the agenda includes Europe’s interest in more intensive dialogue and cooperation with a key partner for European and international security. Russia is a decisive player on numerous international “stages”, starting from the Middle East. The hope is that progress can be made towards the EU-Russia Partnership Agreement, not least in light of Moscow’s recent entry to the World Trade Organisation.
Other important dossiers to be addressed by the Council include: the Western Balkans, on the eve of the crucial EU decisions; Kosovo; relations with the USA; and the crises in Congo and Mali.
