Foreign Minister Kotzias to attend the EU Foreign Affairs Council

Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias is currently in Luxemburg to attend a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. The Council’s agenda includes the initiatives the European Union has undertaken on the issue of the return of refugees and Mr. Kotzias will present Greece’s positions to his counterparts. The discussion will also cover the EU’s relations with third states as regards the halting of refugee flows from Turkey and the provision of financial assistance to countries neighbouring Syria.

Management of the migration/refugee crisis and the positions of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) will be the subject of discussion at the working luncheon of the EU member-state Foreign Ministers. with Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in attendance. The EU Foreign Affairs Council will also look at the Eastern Partnership, in light of the results of the Netherlands referendum on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement and the flaring of tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Finally, Foreign Ministers will have a joint working dinner with the Defence Ministers, during which there will be a discussion of the political situation in Libya and the potential for EU assistance.

On Tuesday, 19 April, Mr. Kotzias will travel to Paris, where he will participate in a working dinner with the French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Harlem Désir. On Wednesday, 20 April, he will meet at the Quai d’Orsay with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.

Meeting with Matthew Nimetz

During his visit in Luxemburg Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias met with the UN Secretary General’s Personal Envoy, Matthew Nimetz. Mr. Nimetz was briefed on the progress that has been made in the area of confidence-building measures by the Greek government. Mr. Nimetz briefed Mr. Kotzias on his activities and on the discussions he is having in the context of his mandate.

PHOTO: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Greece twitter