Foreign Minister Soini to the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on 20 July

Press release 176/2015
17 July 2015

The EU Foreign Ministers will convene at a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Monday, 20 July. Finland's representative in the meeting will be Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini.

The agenda of the meeting will include Iran, Libya, Tunisia and the Middle East peace process. In addition, the Foreign Affairs Council is to adopt the EU's Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy for the period 2015–2019.

The discussions on Iran will focus on Iran's nuclear programme negotiations, which were completed this week, and on the EU's support to the agreement that was reached on 14 July 2015.  As for Libya, the agenda includes the UN-facilitated dialogue concerning the stabilisation of the political situation in the country. The preparation of the EU military operation to address the migration crisis (EUNAVFOR MED) will also be touched upon. The Ministers will also discuss the Middle East peace process and what the EU can do to improve the situation.

As for Tunisia, the Council will deal with the recent terrorist attacks and the question of how to improve the security situation in the country. Furthermore, the Foreign Ministers have an opportunity to discuss the situation in Tunisia with Tunisia's Prime Minister Habib Essid and Foreign Minister Taieb Baccouche who will join them at lunch.

Inquiries: Samuli Virtanen, State Secretary, tel. +358 50 574 1763, and Johanna Birkstedt, Counsellor, tel. +358 40 352 3556

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