Foreign Minister Tuomioja participates in the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers

Press release 54/2007
27 March, 2007

Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja will participate in the informal meeting of the EU foreign ministers, the Gymnich meeting, in Bremen, Germany, on 30-31 March.

The meeting will begin with a working luncheon during which the foreign ministers will discuss issues related to the Western Balkans, particularly the progress of the Kosovo status process and the relations between the EU and Serbia. The agenda of the working session of the first day of the meeting consists of two topics: the future of the EU neighbourhood policy and relations with Belarus. Germany, the EU President, is also expected to brief the other member states on the results of the foreign minister meeting between the EU troika and Central Asian states in Astana on 28 March.

The second day of the meeting will focus on the Middle East and Iran. The working session in the morning will discuss the Middle East peace process and the EU's relations with the parties to the conflict. The meeting will be concluded by a working luncheon with Iran on the agenda. EU applicants Turkey, Croatia and Macedonia will also attend the luncheon.

Informal meetings between EU foreign ministers have been organised regularly every six monts since 1974.

Further information: European Correspondent Jarno Syrjälä, tel. +358 9 1605 5026