Foreign Minister Soini to Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg

Press release 115/2017
19.6.2017

The EU Foreign Affairs Council will meet in Luxembourg on 19 June. Finland's representative at the meeting will be Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini. The topics on the Council’s agenda will include the implementation of the EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy, EU–NATO cooperation, migration, counter-terrorism, and the situation in Iraq and the Persian Gulf.

The Foreign Ministers will discuss the implementation of the EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy a year after its its adoption. The priority areas of the strategy for the next year will also be discussed. Regarding the cooperation between the EU and NATO, the aim is to strengthen the practical cooperation based on the previously agreed policies. The Foreign Ministers will also discuss the external dimension of migration, taking note of the Commission’s recent progress reports. The discussion on counter-terrorism will focus on cooperation between the EU and third countries.

The situation in Iraq and stabilisation efforts will be addressed taking into account the active role of the EU in the country. The Council will adopt conclusions on the situation in Iraq, EU–NATO cooperation and cooperation in counter-terrorism activities, in addition to several other Council conclusions, including on maritime security and on climate change following the United States' decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

At an informal lunch, the Foreign Ministers will discuss the current situation in the Persian Gulf and ways for the EU to support avoiding escalation.

After the Foreign Affairs Council, the Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers' meeting will take place between the EU and the Eastern Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus). The Ministers will discuss the preparations before the EU Eastern Partnership Summit which will take place in Brussels in November 2017.

Inquiries: Matti Nissinen, Diplomatic Adviser to Foreign Minister Soini, tel. +358 295 351 780 and Sari Rautio, European Correspondent, tel. +358 295 351 534

The Foreign Ministry’s email addresses are in the format [email protected].