Drukke week in aantocht voor Cypriotische minister van Buitenlandse zaken in Luxemburg en Brussel (en)

It is a busy week ahead for Minister Marcoullis and the Cyprus EU Presidency, as she will participate in the upcoming Foreign Affairs (FAC) and Foreign Affairs/Development Council on October 15 in Luxembourg. Dr. Marcoullis is also set to preside over a number of Political Dialogue and Association Council meetings with third countries on behalf of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Catherine Ashton i.

During the FAC meeting, which will be chaired by the High Representative, EU Foreign Affairs Ministers will discuss developments in the EU’s Southern Neighbourhood, with a special focus on Syria and Egypt, particularly in view of the upcoming EU Ministerial meeting with the Arab League and the EU- Egypt Task Force meeting. Ministers are expected to adopt Council Conclusions on developments in Syria. They will also take stock of the situation with the Middle East Peace Process, following discussions in the UN General Assembly.

EU Foreign Ministers will also discuss the situation in Mali and Iran, on which Council Conclusions are to be adopted. Other issues on the FAC agenda also include the follow up to the EU-China Summit and the Eastern Neighbourhood. FAC Conclusions will be adopted on Belarus, Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The Foreign Affairs Minister will also participate in the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Development.

In the margins of the FAC, Dr. Marcoullis will participate in a dinner of the EU Foreign Ministers with the Foreign Minister of Russia, Mr. Sergei Lavrov, to be held on the evening of October 14. During the dinner, ministers will discuss international issues of mutual concern, notably Syria and Iran, as well as EU - Russia bilateral issues.

The Foreign Affairs Minister will also attend an informal meeting on the report of the Reflection Group on the Future of Europe, hosted by the Foreign Ministers of Germany and Luxembourg.

On October 17, Minister Marcoullis will also deliver a keynote speech on “The Post 2015 Development Architecture”, at the closing of the 2012 European Development Days.

Chairing on behalf of the High Representative

Following the FAC meeting, Dr. Marcoullis will preside over a number of meetings, on behalf of the High Representative. On October 16, the minister will preside over a Ministerial Meeting of the EU with the OSCE and over the Association Council with Jordan, both to take place in Luxembourg.

On October 17, Dr. Marcoullis will preside over the Political Dialogue with Cape Verde, and the Association Council with Lebanon, in Brussels. The following day (Thursday, October 18), Dr. Marcoullis will debrief the European Parliament Committee of Foreign Affairs (AFET) on the October 15 FAC Conclusions, on behalf of the HR.