Josep Borrell

Eight European Union member states have decided to set up a naval surveillance mission in the Strait of Hormuz, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced on Jan. 20 after a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers.

European Union countries have agreed to "refocus" the mission of the bloc's anti-migrant smuggler naval operation in the Mediterranean Sea so that it concentrates on upholding the UN arms embargo against Libya, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Monday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu, stressed, at the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council held in Brussels, the importance of the consistent and swifter implementation of the Mali Peace Agreement.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias on Monday hailed the outcome of Sunday's conference on the Libya crisis as a positive first step, although he regretted the fact that the summit's conclusions did not reiterate the position of the European Union on the contentious agreements signed between Ankara and the Tripoli-based government.

Greece supports EU efforts to deescalate tensions in Libya and supports the efforts of UN Secretary General Special Representative for Libya Ghassan Salame towards that goal, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said Friday, arriving at an emergency meeting of EU counterparts in Brussels.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias will be traveling to Brussels on Friday to attend an emergency meeting of the European Union's Foreign Affairs Council, called to discuss the crisis with Iran and developments in Libya.

EU commissioners will discuss the situation in the Middle East at an emergency meeting in Brussels today, the BNR informs. High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Josep Borrell will keep up to date with the latest developments in the region.

The European Union's top diplomat and the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Germany and Italy condemned on Tuesday Turkey's plans to send military experts and trainers to Libya, saying foreign interference there was exacerbating instability.

The European Union on Dec. 29 called on Syria's regime and its allies to halt "indiscriminate" military attacks on civilians in the country's northwest, where an intensifying bombardment by Damascus and Russian forces has displaced tens of thousands.    

The most serious candidate is the head of Slovak diplomacy Miroslav Lajcak.
This is written by today's "Vecernje Novosti", which state that the EU's goal is to first and foremost mitigate US influence in the region.