Minister Mitov participated in the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting
22 June 2015 News
Minister Daniel Mitov participated in the regular Foreign Affairs Council meeting, which was held today in Luxembourg. Ministers discussed with the European Commission Vice-President and Energy Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič the role of diplomacy in improving and ensuring EU’s energy security. The diversification of sources and routes of supply, as well as improving the connectivity of the energy infrastructure were identified as key priorities. The Council participants emphasized the importance of increasing energy cooperation and dialogue with important alternative gas suppliers to Europe such as Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Algeria, Iran and Iraq.
Minister Mitov underscored the vital importance of consolidated EU positions on energy matters, including the Turkish Stream project. He said that the EU should not yield to external attempts at dividing Member States and that the Union should draw the energy supplies map by itself. The Bulgarian top diplomat stressed the significance of the Southern Gas Corridor and of the integration of energy markets in Southeastern Europe. He pointed out the need to speed up the construction of reverse-flow interconnectors between Bulgaria and Greece and between Bulgaria and Serbia which, along with the Vertical Gas Corridor initiative, will contribute to the improvement of the energy security in Southeastern Europe and the EU as a whole.
The Foreign Ministers also discussed and voiced deep concern over the situation in the Republic of Macedonia. They urged all political parties to make immediate steps towards resolving the political crisis and restoring confidence in the institutions on the basis of the agreement of June 2, 2015. Minister Mitov informed of his visit to the Republic of Macedonia last week, stressing the need for a compromise between the political parties to overcome the crisis. He emphasized that Bulgaria supports the accession of the Republic of Macedonia to NATO and the EU but, to this end, the country must carry out the necessary reforms and comply with all existing membership criteria. Minister Mitov pointed out that maintaining good-neighborly relations on the part of the Republic of Macedonia is of a key importance in this respect.
Ministers agreed on launching an EU naval operation EUNAVFORMED to disrupt human smuggling in the Mediterranean. The operation is part of the comprehensive EU approach for addressing migratory pressure on the external borders of the Union. Minister Mitov stressed the need of differentiating between refugees from conflict zones, to whom the EU must grant protection, and the economic immigrant flows, whose growth requires an adequate application of the EU return policy.
Over lunch, ministers discussed with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon the EU-UN cooperation in tackling current crises in Libya, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
The EU top diplomats held a strategic discussion on the development of EU-Asia cooperation. They focused on the further deepening of the relations with strategic partners such as Japan, China, India and the Republic of Korea, as well as with regional organizations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
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