Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout to chair GAERC

Czech Foreign Minister and EU GAERC President Jan Kohout will chair the meeting of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council in Brussels on 18 and 19 May.

The meeting will focus on the preparation of the EU-Russia summit, the situation in Moldova, in Sri Lanka and in Burma/Myanmar. The Ministers will also discuss the current developments in Iran and Georgia.

There will also be a joint meeting of Defence Ministers and Foreign Ministers which will address Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR Althea) and Somalia (Operation Atalanta). In addition to Minister Kohout, the Czech Republic will be represented by Defence Minister Martin Barták.

A press conference following the GAERC meeting on 18 May is preliminarily scheduled to take place in the EU Council Building at 15:30.

The meeting of EU Foreign Ministers will be followed by a meeting of Ministers for Development, which will take place on 18 – 19 May. This meeting will also be presided over by Minister Jan Kohout. The main items on the agenda include the “spring package” – support for developing countries during the crisis, transatlantic cooperation in the field of development, agreements on economic partnership (EPA’s) – the current situation, democratic governance – a political dialogue.