EU ambassadors to meet September 10 to discuss anti-Russian sanctions

Representatives of European Union countries will meet in the Belgian capital on September 10 to discuss the entry of new anti-Russian sanctions into force, the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton's press secretary told ITAR-TASS on Tuesday.
The meeting of ambassadors is expected to be held on Wednesday, the source said, adding the entry into force of the package of sanctions approved by the EU Council on Monday was postponed for a few days, thanks first of all to Finland and Italy.

EU ministers ‘back’ arming Iraqi Kurd fighters. (‘No holiday when people are dying’)

EU ministers agreed Friday to back the arming of beleaguered Iraqi Kurd fighters by key bloc member states, a diplomat told AFP.
"This is strong and sends the desired political message," the source said after foreign ministers from the 28-nation EU met for more than three hours to achieve unanimous approval for the shipment of weapons to forces fighting Islamic State jihadists.

Bulgaria formally nominates Kristalina Georgieva for EU foreign policy chief job

Bulgaria’s caretaker government officially nominated Bulgaria’s current representative in the European Commission, Kristalina Georgieva, for the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy job in the next European Commission, to be headed by Jean-Claude Juncker.

The move was announced by Plevneliev on August 5, when he presented the line-up of the new cabinet, and has now been formally carried out at the first sitting of the Georgi Bliznashki government, held only hours after it took office.

EU sends security support mission to Ukraine. (will be an unarmed and non-executive civilian mission)

BRUSSELS. -- European Union foreign ministers on Tuesday established a civilian mission to help reform Ukraine's security strategy.

The foreign ministers said the mission, to be called the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine, will be an unarmed and non-executive civilian mission. EU advisers will initially focus on supporting the revision of security strategies and the rapid implementation of reforms.

The headquarters of the mission will be in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital. Tuesday's decision allocates a budget of €2.68 million for the start-up phase, which will last until Nov. 30.

Davenport: We want Serbia to back EU stance on Ukraine

BELGRADE - Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport said Friday that Brussels wants all European partners, including Serbia, to back the common EU stance on the Ukrainian crisis.
The situation in Ukraine is alarming. The efforts of the European Union and its High Representative (for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy) Catherine Ashton focus primarily on a peaceful solution to the crisis, Davenport told a press conference held at the residence of the French Ambassador on the occasion of Europe Day.

Statement to the media after meeting with President Tomislav Nikolić

European Commission, Statement,Belgrade, 5 May 2014:

"Dobar dan, it is good to be back in Serbia and start my visit with the meeting with President Nikolić.

This is a crucial period for EU-Serbia relations and an important chapter in the modern history of Serbia is being written – a very European chapter. Serbia has made impressive progress on its path towards EU integration.

It is very encouraging to see that in the last elections the Serbian citizens have supported parties with clear and ambitious commitment to the EU integration.

Nikolić: Recognition of Kosovo is unacceptable. - The southern Serbian province is not threatened by anyone ...

BELGRADE -- Serbia wants to become a part of the EU as soon as possible and is willing to compromise on anything during the talks with the EU, says Tomislav Nikolić.

However, added the Serbian president during his meeting on Monday in Belgrade with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton - recognizing the self-declared independence of Kosovo is unacceptable.
New circumstances in Kosovo need to be discussed, like the creation of the Kosovo defense force, he was quoted as saying by Tanjug.

Catherine Ashton’s press office: work on further sanctions against Russia not completed. - "Second phase"

EU institutions together with the members of states continue to work on the "third stage" of sanctions against Russia, which will affect trade and economic relations. Maya Kosyanchich, Catherine Ashton’s spokesperson said. "At the moment we are talking about the "second phase", the work on which has progressed noticeable. But the work on the "third stage" is also in hand," she added.

Earlier, US President Barack Obama said that the US will announce a new package of sanctions against Russian individuals and companies in the course of the day.

ΥΠΕΞ: Επίσκεψη ΥΦΥΠΕΞ Κ. Γεροντόπουλου στο Πράσινο Ακρωτήριο

ΥΠΕΞ, 13/4/14
Ο Υφυπουργός Εξωτερικών, Κυριάκος Γεροντόπουλος, αναπληρώνοντας την Ύπατη Εκπρόσωπο της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης για θέματα εξωτερικής πολιτικής, Catherine Ashton, επισκέφθηκε στις 9 Απριλίου, το Πράσινο Ακρωτήριο, προκειμένου να συμπροεδρεύσει με τον Υπουργό Εξωτερικών της χώρας, Jorge Borges, στον πολιτικό διάλογο Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης - Πράσινου Ακρωτηρίου.

Στην ημερήσια διάταξη περιλαμβάνονταν τα εξής θέματα: α) τρέχουσα πολιτική και οικονομική επικαιρότητα στην Ε.Ε, β) ασφάλεια και σταθερότητα στο Πράσινο Ακρωτήριο, γ) αναπτυξιακή συνεργασία με έμφαση στη βούληση του Π.Α. για χρήση ανανεώσιμων πηγών ενέργειας, δ) Συμφωνία επανεισδοχής και Συμφωνία απελευθέρωσης καθεστώτος των θεωρήσεων αλιείας, ε) εμπόριο και επενδύσεις.

Iran says EU parliament "lacks legitimacy". - Students are reportedly planning to stage outside the Greek embassy in Tehran on Tuesday

Iran has criticized a European Parliament human rights resolution, saying the body lacks the "legitimacy" to advise countries on such matters, media reported on Monday. The resolution passed on Thursday condemned Iran over "continued, systematic violation of fundamental rights," and said its 2013 presidential election was not "held in accordance with the democratic standards". It also said "any future parliament delegations to Iran should be committed to meeting members of the political opposition and civil society activists, and to having access to political prisoners."

Iranian officials hit back, saying the "irresponsible and counter-productive" text could harm talks between Tehran and world powers over the Islamic republic's disputed nuclear program.

ΥΠΕΞ: Συμμετοχή ΥΦΥΠΕΞ Δ. Κούρκουλα σε υπουργικές συναντήσεις με αφορμή τη Σύνοδο Κορυφής Ε.Ε. - Αφρικής (Βρυξέλλες 31.3-3.4.2014)

ΥΠΕΞ, Δευτέρα, 31 Μάρτιος 2014

Ο Υφυπουργός Εξωτερικών, Δημήτρης Κούρκουλας, θα βρίσκεται στις Βρυξέλλες, από τη Δευτέρα 31 Μαρτίου 2014 έως την Πέμπτη 3 Απριλίου 2014, προκειμένου να λάβει μέρος σε υπουργικές συναντήσεις, που θα πραγματοποιηθούν με αφορμή τη Σύνοδο Κορυφής Ε.Ε – Αφρικής.

Σήμερα, Δευτέρα 31 Μαρτίου, ο Υφυπουργός Εξωτερικών θα ανοίξει, ως εκπρόσωπος του Συμβουλίου της Ε.Ε., τις εργασίες της Κοινοβουλευτικής Συνόδου Κορυφής Ε.Ε. - Αφρικής, αναπληρώνοντας την Ύπατη Εκπρόσωπο της Ε.Ε., Catherine Ashton.

Deputy PM and FM Venizelos’ statement on the situation in Ukraine and yesterday’s referendum in Crimea. -Hellenic MoFA

MFA, Monday, 17 March 2014

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Following this morning’s informal meeting of the 28 EU Foreign Ministers with the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, and before the opening of the EU Foreign Affairs Council under the Presidency of High Representative Catherine Ashton, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos made the following statement on the situation in Ukraine and yesterday’s referendum in Crimea:

EU Commission in preliminary preparation of sanctions against Russia. – Catherine Ashton

The European Commission has got down to the preliminary preparation of likely sanctions against Russia, although no decision to that end has been made yet. This came in a statement by Maja Kocijancic, the spokesperson of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. Cocijancic said she could confirm that preliminary work has got under way.
On March 6th, the EU summit took the decision to suspend talks with Russia on easing the visa regime, as well as on a new partnership agreement.

Με άτομα της ουκρανικής αντιπολίτευσης συνδέονται οι ελεύθεροι σκοπευτές που άνοιξαν πυρ κατά των διαδηλωτών στα αιματηρά γεγονότα της πλατείας Μαϊντάν στο Κίεβο.

Αυτό φέρεται να δήλωσε ο υπουργός Εξωτερικών της Εσθονίας Ούρμας Πάετ σε τηλεφωνική συνομιλία με την επικεφαλής της Εξωτερικής Πολιτικής της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης Κάθριν Αστον. «Πρόκειται για κάποιον από τον νέο κυβερνητικό συνασπισμό» λέει ο Πάετ στο τηλεφώνημα που έκανε στην Κάθριν Αστον αμέσως μετά την επίσκεψή του στο Κίεβο, στις 25 Φεβρουαρίου και είδε χθες το φως της δημοσιότητας.  Η επίσκεψη Πάετ στο Κίεβο πραγματοποιήθηκε αμέσως μετά τις τραγικές οδομαχίες μεταξύ αστυνομικών και διαδηλωτών στο κέντρο της πόλης που άφησαν πίσω δεκάδες νεκρούς ουκρανούς πολίτες και εκατοντάδες τραυματίες.

Estonian Foreign Ministry confirms authenticity of leaked call on Kiev snipers. -Russian FM surprised EU officials do not comment Ashton-Estonian minister phone call leak

Estonian foreign ministry has confirmed the recording of his conversation with EU foreign policy chief is authentic. Urmas Paet said that snipers who shot at protesters and police in Kiev were hired by Maidan leaders.
Paet told RIA-Novosti news agency that he talked to Catherine Ashton last week right after retiring from Kiev, but refrained from further comments, saying that he has to “listen to the tape first.”
“It’s very disappointing that such surveillance took place altogether. It’s not a coincidence that this conversation was uploaded [to the web] today,” he stressed.
“My conversation with Ashton took place last week right after I returned from Kiev. At that time I was already in Estonia,” Paet added.

Δεν υπήρξε καμία απόφαση της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης να υποστηριχθούν οι διαδηλώσεις. -Aλλά η κα Ashton και η κα Nuland πήραν μέρος στις διαδηλώσεις.

Απόσπασμα από τη συνέντευξη Τύπου Αντ. της Κυβέρνησης και ΥΠΕΞ  Ευ. Βενιζέλου για τρέχοντα θέματα εξωτερικής πολιτικής - Ουκρανία (Αθήνα, 04.03.2014):

ΥΠΕΞ, 4/3/14  
.......G. MELNIK: Κύριε Υπουργέ, εσείς μιλάτε για το σεβασμό του Διεθνούς Δικαίου. Εσείς νομίζετε ότι η υποστήριξη από την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση των διαδηλώσεων ήταν με σεβασμό του Δικαίου ή όχι;

ΕΥ. ΒΕΝΙΖΕΛΟΣ: Δεν υπήρξε καμία απόφαση της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης να υποστηριχθούν οι διαδηλώσεις.

Το Ε.Κ. στηρίζει την Ουκρανία

Τα δραματικά γεγονότα στην Ουκρανία στοίχισαν τη ζωή σε περισσότερα από 80 άτομα και οδήγησαν στην απομάκρυνση του προέδρου Yanukovych από την εξουσία. Η χώρα άλλαξε μέσα σε λίγες μέρες και η ΕΕ πρέπει τώρα να υποστηρίξει την Ουκρανία, δήλωσαν οι ευρωβουλευτές από όλα τα πολιτικά κόμματα σήμερα, στην Ολομέλεια στο Στρασβούργο. Οι ομιλητές εξέφρασαν τον σεβασμό τους και τόνισαν ότι οι Ουκρανοί πολίτες θα πρέπει να είναι σε θέση να καθορίσουν ελεύθερα το μέλλον της χώρας τους.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Venizelos confers by phone with EU High Representative Catherine Ashton regarding developments in Ukraine. -Hellenic MoFA

MFA, Wednesday, 26 February 2014

.

EU High Representative and President of the Foreign Affairs Council Catherine Ashton and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos, in his capacity as President of the EU General Affairs Council, had extensive telephone talks today on the developments in Ukraine.

Baroness Ashton briefed Mr. Venizelos on the picture she formed during her visit to Kiev. She also briefed him on the preparations being made by the European Commission, in collaboration with the European External Action service, the European Investment Bank and other European institutions to shape a format for immediate financial support for Ukraine, in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund and the Russian Federation.

EU's Ashton to visit Ukraine. -Foreign ministers from 7 EU countries to discuss Ukraine's crisis

KIEV, Ukraine.-The European Union's (EU) foreign affairs chief will visit Ukraine on Monday to discuss the troubled country's economy, two days after the Ukrainian president was ousted.

According to a statement from the EU released Sunday, Catherine Ashton will meet key leaders in Ukraine's capital Kiev to discuss how the EU can stabilize the economy and solve problems created by the country's political crisis.

EU-Ukraine: "Only a Ukrainian plan can work"

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle continued EU's political efforts in helping Ukraine to find solution to the political crisis. He held talks with partners in Kyiv on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. After that he made the following statement to the media (watch also video on the link below)

"It is my third visit here in as many weeks. This one is very much connected to the Foreign Affairs Council and has an overarching goal to stress the EU´s concerns and continued willingness to help. My main message is that only one plan can work here: a Ukrainian plan agreed by Ukrainians and implemented swiftly.