Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Marija Pejčinović Burić 22 January 2018 in Brussels attended a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC). On the sidelines, the EU foreign ministers held an informal meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, with whom they discussed preconditions for launching the peace process, bilateral relations and situation in the region.
The FAC opened with a brief overview of the current international topics, including the recent events in Kosovo, asking for a swift investigation and the continuation of dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade. The EU foreign ministers also discussed the situations in Iraq, Zimbabwe, Libya and Syria, adopting Conclusions on Iraq, which outline the basic elements of the new strategy towards the country, with a focus on the reconstruction process and democratic transition.
Also talked about was the new partnership framework with the African, Caribbean and pacific countries, since the extant cooperation framework expires in 2020. Pejčinović Burić welcomed the European Commission’s negotiation guidelines and the concept of future relations, which respects the specificity of each of the three regions. In informal talks with President of the European Investment Bank Werner Hoyer, the EU foreign ministers discussed development cooperation.
Head of UNSMIL Ghassan Salamé reported in a conference call about the situation in the field and the progress of political process.
Before the meeting with Abbas, the EU foreign ministers discussed the status of the Middle East Peace Process. They agreed the EU would continue to get involved in order to maintain a political horizon for a two-state solution and the reinstatement of the peace process as the only sustainable and comprehensive preconditions for peace. Croatia and other EU partners expect the US to join the efforts. Pejčinović Burić underlined the importance of the EU’s role in bringing together international and regional partners, communicating with both sides and offering support to their constructive engagement. She also applauded Egypt’s efforts in that regard.