ZAGREB, July 17, 2018 – Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Marija Pejčinović Burić, attended in Brussels on Monday a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council which discussed the implementation of the goals of the Eastern Partnership, the situation in Libya, and developments in the relationship with North Korea, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs said in a statement.
The discussion of the implementation of the goals of the Eastern Partnership between the European Union and six Eastern European and Southern Caucasian countries was a preparation for a ministerial meeting of the Eastern Partnership which is due to take place on the margins of a Council meeting in October this year and for marking next year the 10th anniversary since the launch of this initiative.
The Eastern Partnership includes six EU partner countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, and it aims to strengthen the economy, good governance, connectivity, mobility and interpersonal contacts.
The meeting said that all 20 goals defined at the summits in Riga in 2015 and Brussels in 2017 were being implemented well, and that it was crucial for the partners to continue the reform processes.
The Council discussed the situation in Libya where the EU had continued to support efforts by UN special envoy Salame in mediating between Libyan parties to create prerequisites for a political transition and talks on a solution that would be acceptable to all the parties involved.
The EU is also providing support through the EU Border Assistance Mission in Libya and Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean aimed at combating migrant smuggling, and is assisting the Libyan coastguard in strengthening its capabilities. Croatia supports these efforts and the plan is to further strengthen activities in response to the challenge of migrations.
The Council discussed North Korea in light of positive developments following the summits between North Korea and South Korea and between the United States and North Korea, and welcomed the positive elements, especially recent high-level meetings. The EU will support the political process and efforts towards complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of North Korea, and will continue its humanitarian involvement given the difficult situation and living conditions in the country.
The Council briefly discussed other current international issues, including the nuclear deal with Iran, the International Criminal Court in light of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Statute of Rome, and Southeast Europe in the context of the recent Berlin Process summit in London, the statement said.
