EU High Representative of Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles is holding a press conference on Thursday, November 19 in Brussels following video conference with EU Foreign Affairs Ministers. [ Ссылка ] #eudebates #NPT #armscontrol #army #nuclear #disarmament
During the meeting, ministers were briefed on the latest international developments such as the outcome of the US elections and the situation in Afghanistan, Belarus, Nagorno-Karabakh, the Eastern Mediterranean and Ethiopia.
During the conference, the ministers were briefed on the latest international developments such as the outcome of the US elections and the situation in Afghanistan, Belarus, Nagorno-Karabakh, the eastern Mediterranean and Ethiopia.
EU foreign ministers agreed on Thursday to prepare a new package of sanctions on individuals and entities in Belarus, in response to state repression of peaceful protests. This, as reported by TASS, said the head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrell at a press conference following an online meeting of 27 foreign ministers.
“Today we agreed to push ahead with a new round of sanctions on Belarus in response in response to state repression ioland in order to support the Belarusian people. These sanctions will be introduced not only against individuals, but also against [government] structures, companies and entrepreneurs,” said Borrel.
We met today in a virtual format for the Foreign Affairs Council, but the agenda was again very packed.
We had on the agenda a discussion about the results of the United States presidential elections. It was just a first discussion; it will be again on the agenda [of the Foreign Affairs Council] on the 7th of December. [We have also discussed] Afghanistan, Belarus, Nagorno Karabakh, Libya, Ethiopia, Turkey, multilateralism and we have had an exchange with the Foreign Minister of Palestine. As you can see, many topics and really difficult issues.
Now, let me brief you about some points:
On the United States, as I said, this was the first opportunity for us to exchange views on the overall direction of transatlantic relations after the elections. Several Member States have been publishing articles in the press; today the 3 members of Benelux expressed their point of view, that’s good. I suppose that all Member States will make public their analysis. But at the end, we have to go for a common approach and see how to engage in a stronger friendship and a better partnership with the Unites States, which is, at the end, our most important strategic ally.
In the meantime, the Commission and I, as High Representative, are also working on how to approach a new era in the relationship with the United States. But I hope that on the 7th of December, the Council will be able to agree on a common approach, which is at the end the purpose of these meetings. I do not expect to speak with a single voice, but to say the same thing. Some Member States were expecting that this discussion could take longer and that maybe we will not have a complete agreement at the December Council, but let us start working at the working group levels [of the Council] and we [Ministers] will have another look at this very important issue in December.
My understanding is that a capable and strategically aware European Union is the best partner for the United States – and it is also what we need ourselves. Every time one talks about strategic autonomy - a subject which is very much in the media, the expression “strategic autonomy” is controversial. But it does not mean that we are not going to continue being the best partner of the United States. It is a matter of being a better partner. We will have a more substantial discussion, as I said, on the strategic orientation of our relations with the United States at the next Foreign Affairs Council. And, once the new Secretary of State will be in office, I will invite him to join us at the Foreign Affairs Council.
Going now to the specific issues. On Afghanistan, we raised next week’s Pledging Conference, which comes at a crucial time of the peace process in Afghanistan.
Through this conference, we want to give positive impetus to our support to the Afghan people and to the peace process, and to send a clear messages of solidarity through our financial pledge.
But, at the same time, Ministers stressed the importance of sending also the message that this support should be accompanied by very clear political and governance conditions.
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