MFA: Foreign Minister Soini travels to the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels

MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
http://formin.finland.fi/english

Press release 32/2016
12 February 2016

Foreign Minister Soini travels to the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels

The EU Foreign Ministers will convene at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on 15 February. Finland's representative at the meeting will be Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini. The discussion points on the agenda will be Moldova, Belarus, climate diplomacy and Syria. Additionally, the situation in Lebanon, including the effects of the Syria conflict and international support to Lebanon, will be discussed.

The Foreign Affairs Council will discuss the topical political situation in Syria, as well as the deteriorating humanitarian and security situation. The meeting will also examine the outcomes of the Syria Donors Conference, which was held in London on 4 February, and the results of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) meeting, heldin Munich on 11 February.

Other topics of discussion in the Foreign Affairs Council meeting will be the recent political and economic developments in Moldova, and the question of how the reforms in the country could be best supported. The Government of Moldova will be encouraged to continue the implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.

The future direction of the relations between Belarus and the EU will also be discussed and a political decision concerning the EU's restrictive measures in respect of Belarus will be made. The current Council Decision concerning restrictive measures against Belarus will expire on 29 February 2016. Council Conclusions are foreseen both on Belarus and on Moldova.

Based on the results of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, the EU climate diplomacy for 2016 will be reviewed. The Foreign Affairs Council will also adopt the relevant conclusions.

At an informal lunch with Lebanon's Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, the situation in Lebanon will be discussed, including the impacts of the Syria conflict and the cooperation between the EU and Lebanon in international questions.

Inquiries: Riikka Taivassalo, Special Adviser to Minister Soini, tel. +358 46 923 4581 and Sari Rautio, European Correspondent, tel. +358 295 351 534.