Bijeenkomst EU-Israël raad voor samenwerking (en)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, chaired the EU-Israel Association Council and the Stabilisation and Association Council between the EU and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, which took place in Brussels, today. Dr Marcoullis chaired the meetings on behalf of the High Representative of the Union of Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton i. Commissioner Štefan Füle, responsible for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, also participated in the meetings.
The 11th meeting of the EU-Israeli Association Council was attended, on the Israeli side, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Avigdor Lieberman. Discussions focused on bilateral relations between the EU and Israel, as well as international issues of common interest, including the Middle East Peace Process. The two sides took stock of achievements over the past year, and discussed future opportunities for cooperation. A number of activities that can be promoted, within the framework of the existing ENP Action Plan, were identified.
In statements during the Press Conference following the Association Council, Dr. Marcoullis reiterated the EU’s condemnation of the terrorist attack on Israeli citizens in Bulgaria, and expressed solidarity with the Bulgarian and Israeli people. She stressed that today’s meeting of the Association Council reflects the solid and vibrant partnership that the EU has with Israel, in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy, across an extensive range of sectors.
The meeting of the ninth Stabilisation and Association Council between the EU and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia also took place today, with the participation of Foreign Minister Mr Nikola Poposki and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for EU Integration Ms Teuta Arifi. Political aspects of relations between the two parties, as well as more technical aspects under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, were discussed.
In statements following the conclusion of the meeting, the Cypriot Foreign Minister stressed that the ninth Stabilisation and Association Council is a strong confirmation of the close relations between the EU and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. She referred to the importance that the EU attributes to the letter and the spirit of the Ohrid Framework Agreement, and underlined that the EU and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are striving to achieve the objective of stability, good neighbourly relations and EU integration.