Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić 16 April 2018 in Luxembourg attended a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), which discussed Syria, Iran, the Western Balkans, Russia and the future of the External Financing Instruments.
The Council strongly condemned the continued and repeated use of chemical weapons by the regime in Syria, including the latest attack on Douma, which is a grave breach of international law. It expressed support for all efforts aimed at the prevention of the use of chemical weapons and understanding that the targeted US, French and UK airstrikes on chemical weapons facilities in Syria were specific measures having been taken to that end. The Council underlined that the current situation should be used to reinvigorate the process to find a political resolution of the Syrian conflict.
In regard to Iran, the EU remains committed to the continuing implementation of the Iran nuclear deal, which constituted an important international non-proliferation mechanism. The ministers encouraged the efforts being made to ensure that there was a strong commitment of all parties involved.
EU foreign ministers discussed the Western Balkans during a working lunch as part of preparations for the EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia. Pejčinović Burić highlighted the series of challenges and threats – political, security, economic and social – that Southeast Europe was faced with and which could potentially have a destabilizing effect. She reported on her visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-5 April, underlining the importance of its internal stability and functionality, which ought to be ensured through the equality of all three constituent nations, to which end changes to electoral legislation are necessary. Pejčinović Burić also called for the easing of tensions between Serbia and Kosovo and refraining from inflammatory rhetoric.
Discussing Russia, the Council reconfirmed the relevance of the five guiding principles agreed in March 2016 for the EU’s policy towards Russia. The ministers highlighted the need to strengthen the resilience of the EU and its neighbours against Russian threats, including hybrid threats. They also highlighted the importance of supporting Russian civil society and of continuing to develop people to people contacts.