Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins to take part at meeting of General Affairs Council and External Affairs Council [22 Feb 2010]

On 22 February, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins will take part at the meeting of General Affairs Council and External Affairs Council in Brussels.

The General Affairs Council is to discuss the agenda points of the European Council meeting of 25-26 March. A debate is expected on the European Commission's proposal for the EU Strategy 2020, climate change issues will be discussed, and the EU External Security Strategy is to be approved.

At the External Affairs Council the ministers will discuss climate change policy and the future strategy in the wake of the Copenhagen Climate Conference.

The External Affairs Council will also debate on the situation in Ukraine following the recent presidential elections, and look into the prospects for the EU-Ukraine relations.

The ministers are to evaluate the results of the International Conference on Afghanistan held on 28 January in London, and to discuss the current processes in Iran related to the nuclear issue and human rights.

The Council will assess the situation in Haiti, discuss the upcoming donors' conference in March and the need to enhance the EU crisis response capability. 

The General Affairs Council and External Relations Council meeting of EU foreign ministers is held on a monthly basis. Under the Treaty of Lisbon, the General Affairs Council is chaired by the foreign minister of the country currently holding the EU Presidency, but the External Relations Council is chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

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