Deputy PM and FM Venizelos’ statement on the margins of the proceedings of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg (14 April 2014)

MFA, Monday, 14 April 2014
E. VENIZELOS: We are seeing rapid, dangerous developments in Ukraine. The European policy is firm and clear. It is based on two pillars. The first is respect for the international legal order, for national sovereignty and for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and all countries.

The second is the need for de-escalation and avoiding the use or the threat of violence. It is extremely critical for Europe that we not become entangled in a permanent problem, but that we find an agreed, mutually acceptable and practicable solution through political and diplomatic means. This is why we must pursue the holding of the quadrilateral meeting, which has, in principle, been scheduled for this week.


But apart from Ukraine, there are other major issues:

In Syria, the brutal slaughter continues. The Geneva II effort must be continued, and the mediator, Mr. Brahimi, must be supported. 

And with regard to the chemical weapons in particular, our preference is naturally that the operation for the destruction of the weapons should take place beyond the Mediterranean, in the open sea. If the competent international organization and the UN do choose the Mediterranean, we want full guarantees of respect for the marine environment of the Mediterranean. I raise this issue every time, but I will raise it today as well, and at Wednesday’s meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU Mediterranean states, in Spain.

We have the pending issue of Bosnia, regarding which we have a comprehensive proposal to present, as the Presidency, following my visit to Sarajevo a few weeks ago.

It is also very important that we monitor the developments in Egypt, that we see the full implementation of the roadmap for return to democracy, the rule of law, institutional normalcy, because Egypt is a key country for the whole region.

Late this evening, in Strasbourg, at the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, I will present the achievements so far of the Hellenic Presidency, with particular emphasis on the matter of the security of EU external maritime borders, which is a Hellenic Presidency priority.
mfa.gr
14/4/14
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