Minister Zaharieva to take part in Foreign Affairs Council and to co-chair EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council
26 February 2018 Diplomatic CalendarDeputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva will take part in the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on February 26. The Middle East Peace Process, the Republic of Moldova and Venezuela are the main topics to be discussed by the top diplomats of the EU 28. Ministers will discuss the implementation of the Association Agreement between EU and the Republic of Moldova, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, the role of the country in the Eastern Partnership and its contribution in the field of security, as well as the main challenges in pursuing the reforms in the country. The debate on the Middle East Peace Process will focus on the perspectives for finding a two-state solution. The topic will be further discussed during a working lunch with the foreign ministers of six Arab countries and the Secretary General of the League of Arab States. The foreign ministers will also discuss the state of play of political developments in Venezuela and the challenges faced by the country after the failure of the negotiations with the opposition in Santo Domingo. Ahead of the Council minister Zaharieva will take part in a working breakfast with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, Tudor Ulianovschi. The breakfast is hosted by France and Romania. On Fenruary 26, after the end of the Foreign Affairs Council, a meeting of the EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council will be held with Zaharieva heading the EU delegation in her capacity as foreign minister of the rotating Presidency. The meeting will be co-chaired by Bulgaria's top diplomat and the foreign minister of Kazakhstan Kairat Abdrakhmanov. The Cooperation Council will make an overview of the provisional application of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. It will discuss the political situation in Kazakhstan, the economic and trade relations between EU and Kazakhstan as well as topics related to regional cooperation and other events in the region. The last EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council was held on October 4, 2016. Minister Zaharieva is expected to make a statement for the media before the start of the Foreign Affairs Council at around 9 o'clock Brussels time (10 o'clock Bulgarian time). After the conclusion of the Cooperation Council Minister Zaharieva will hold a joint press conference with Kazakhstan's foreign minister which is expected to start at around 18.30 o'clock local time (19.30 Bulgarian time).