Terrorism threat and relations with Russia were the main issues the Foreign Affairs Council discussed at its first 2015 meeting on January19, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security issues Federica Mogherini said after the meeting. The EU ministers decided to have a stronger coordination within the EU, but also cooperation with other countries regarding fight against terrorism. EU is united on policy towards Russia: there is no change of it until commitments taken in Minsk are implemented, Mogherini said. The Council noted that Bosnia has begun moving in the right direction, she said.
“As you know, we started our work with the point on terrorism, reacting not only to what happened in Paris earlier this month but also to a common threat that is there not only for Europeans but also countries and people in the Arab world, in Africa, in Asia. I have to say that, probably for the first time, there was a real deep awareness of the need to work together,” Mogherini said.
“We took the decision within the Foreign Affairs Council to coordinate in a much more active way than it has been the case so far. First of all, with an input to share intelligence information not only within the European Union but also with other countries around us starting from the Mediterranean and the Arab world, Turkey, Egypt, Gulf countries, North Africa but also looking to Africa and Asia,” she said.
The council re-invited the European Parliament to work on the Passengers name record, the PNR and stressed the need to increase work preventing financing of terrorist networks.
The EU ministers also decided to raise level of cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally with Arab and Mediterranean countries starting with the League of Arab States.
“First on counter-terrorism, we are looking at specific projects to launch with specific countries to increase the level of cooperation on counter-terrorism; I would name Egypt, Yemen, Algeria, Gulf countries. And not only on the level of League of Arab states, let me also mention that we need to work more and more on Africa. that is to me, to us, a very important part of our counter-terrorist activity because we need to tackle the narrative saying that we have a double standard, that we only care about victims in Europe,” Mogherini said.
“This is not correct. We know very well that the first victims of terrorism and terrorist acts are Muslims and Arab countries,” she said.
“What we need is an alliance, a dialogue, work together because we are all facing the same threat. This dialogue should not only take part between the European Union and Arab Countries but also inside the European Union with the Muslim communities,” the high representative said.
The Ministers agreed to have security attachés in the European Union Delegations in relevant countries as well as to improve communication with Arabic speaking populations, be it in the European Union and with the larger Arab communities in the World.
Regarding Russia, the Council expressed unity and underlined that there would be no change in EU’s policy towards Moscow until commitments taken in Minsk are implemented.
“Those who were expecting divisions, major divisions today on Russia, I think will be a little bit disappointed, because we are united. We were united and we are still united on this. Our relations with Russia can only change if and when – I hope when, but at the moment it’s if – commitments that were taken in Minsk are implemented,” Mogherini said.
“And let me say that the latest developments on the ground are definitely not encouraging, rather the contrary,” she added.
The Council was updated on the situation in Bosnia, Mogherini said.
“We assessed the fact that the work done by the Presidency and shared with the political leaders in these very same hours is going definitely in the right direction, so that helps to conclude on a rather positive note, which is something that from time to time in these times you need,” she said.
Full Mogherini’s remarks:
