Minister of Foreign Affairs Constantinos Kombos participated in the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) of the European Union, which took place in Brussels.
The Foreign Ministers of the 27 EU member states on 16 March discussed the European Security Strategy, the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine, developments in the wider Middle East and Gulf region, as well as issues concerning the Southern Neighbourhood.
Regarding the situation in the wider Middle East region, Kombos referred to the need for de-escalation and a return to the diplomatic path to resolve the crisis. Referring to the impact of developments in relation to Cyprus, the Minister of Foreign Affairs thanked European partners for their tangible expression of support and solidarity. The message of recent developments, he added, is clear regarding the need for a strengthened role for the EU in the region. In this context, and given that the EU is affected in multiple sectors, the Minister stressed the importance of a coordinated approach regarding the Strait of Hormuz between the EU and its strategic partners.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs also made special reference to the need to support Lebanon, including through tools for socio-economic support and the provision of targeted humanitarian aid. He also expressed strong concern about the situation in the West Bank.
In the context of the discussion on the Southern Neighbourhood, the Minister pointed out that the Mediterranean Pact could serve as a framework for strengthening the EU’s relations with the Southern Neighbourhood, based on tangible results and a positive agenda.
During the discussion on Ukraine, the Minister of Foreign Affairs underlined, among other things, that under the current geopolitical circumstances, support for Ukraine must be maintained and further strengthened. The Cyprus Presidency, he added, worked to achieve consensus for the timely renewal of the regime of restrictive measures concerning Ukraine’s territorial integrity. He also stressed the importance of reaching an agreement on the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, as well as on the €90 billion loan to Ukraine.
The foreign ministers also attended a working lunch with India’s Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. During the discussion, Kombos referred, among other things, to the convergence of interests between the EU and India, focusing particularly on the dimension of maritime transport security. On the sidelines of the Council meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs also held a bilateral meeting with his Czech counterpart, Petr Macinka. Yesterday, a bilateral meeting was also held with India’s Foreign Minister, Jaishankar.
(Source: CNA)
