Foreign Ministry Secretary of State, Andris Teikmanis attended meetings of General Affairs Council and External Relations Council

At the EU's General Affairs Council on 25 January in Brussels, Spain presented the priorities of its presidency: implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon, promoting the recovery of Europe from economic crisis and launching the EU 2020 strategy, strengthening the EU as a global player, and fostering the rights and freedoms of EU citizens. In the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, the primary focus will be on developing the External Action Service and on strengthening the citizens' initiative.

At the External Relations Council, the foreign ministers debated the current situation in Afghanistan and further involvement by the international community in the context of the upcoming International Conference on Afghanistan on 28 January in London. It was reiterated that at the London Conference, the EU Member States should express support to Afghanistan's development, focusing on the importance of aid co-ordination and the 'afghanisation' process. The Secretary of State Teikmanis emphasised that international support is a precondition for the implementation of democratic reforms, and informed about Latvia's decision to increase its personnel in the EU police force. Mr Teikmanis also noted that Latvia is working on a project to ensure the transit of non-military supplies to Afghanistan.

The ministers reviewed the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and discussed further developments within the Operation EUFOR Althea. A political agreement was achieved set up an EU military mission for training Somali security forces (EUTRA Somalia), and a possibility to set up a regional long-term mechanism for the prosecution of pirates. 

The foreign ministers also discussed the situation in Iran as regards the nuclear question and human rights, as well as the current security situation in Yemen.

The foreign ministers resumed the discussion initiated at the emergency Council on 18 January about the EU response to the earthquake in Haiti. The ministers agreed to establish a joint framework for the EU's contribution to the UN MINSUTAH mission, and debated the co-ordination of civil and military aid and the deployment in Haiti of emergency response personnel. It was also underlined that the EU should consider medium term and long-term support to Haiti.

(End of text)