Minister Martin will attend the Informal Meeting of EU Foreign Ministers – ‘Gymnich’ – which will be held in Córdoba, Spain on Friday, 5th & Saturday, 6th March.

Minister Martin will attend the Informal Meeting of EU Foreign Ministers – ‘Gymnich’ – which will be held in Córdoba, Spain on Friday, 5th & Saturday, 6th March.

The ‘Gymnich’ meeting is hosted by each Presidency during their six monthly term and is informal in nature, allowing for Foreign Ministers to discuss subjects of particular strategic importance to the EU’s foreign policy. The meeting will be attended by the EU Foreign Ministers and High Representative Catherine Ashton and chaired by Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos.

The Middle East Peace Process will be discussed on Saturday morning. This will be the first discussion on the MEPP since the December Council, which adopted substantive Conclusions, and the first since Catherine Ashton was appointed as High Representative.

The Minister will take the opportunity to brief partners on his visit to Cairo and Gaza, the first to Gaza by a European Union Foreign Minister since February 2009, very shortly after the conflict.

Ministers will also discuss the plans for the formation of the new External Action Service and EU policy towards emerging countries such as China, India and Brazil.

The Foreign Ministers of Croatia, Turkey and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will meet with the EU Ministers on Saturday afternoon to review developments in the Western Balkans and Bosnia Herzegovina.

 Ends+++

4 March 2010

Press Office