Informal Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs (Gymnich)

Date: 27.3.2009 — 28.3.2009
Venue: Hluboká n/V. - Czech Republic
Category: Informal Ministerial Meetings
Theme: General Affairs and External Relations

The Foreign Ministers opened their meeting on Friday 27 March at a working lunch in the castle library. The aim of Gymnich was to offer an informal platform for a thorough discussion of several current or sensitive issues.

On Friday, the ministers addressed the situation in the Middle East, the ESDP civilian mission and Belarus. On Saturday, they discussed the situation in the Western Balkans together with ministers from the candidate countries and from the countries of the Western Balkans.

Traditionally, Gymnich offered an informal private programme for ministers and their spouses. This time, the programme consisted of a dinner and a concert by the well-known Czech opera singer Dagmar Pecková, right at Hluboká Castle (www.hluboka.cz).

Known as Gymnich after the German castle where it was held for the first time in 1974, the informal meeting of the EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs took place in Hluboká nad Vltavou, in the south of Bohemia.

The informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Hluboká nad Vltavou was attended by 292 media representatives, of which 136 were from the Czech Republic and 156 from abroad. The most numerous group was that of representatives of the printed press - 173 journalists.

You will find information on the programme and the accompanying programme for media representatives and other important facts concerning the media in the files attached below.

Contact:

Zuzana Opletalová, Spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tel.: +420 224 182 052, GSM: +420 724 034 154, E-mail: [email protected]

EU Presidency Statement

28.3. 2009 - EU Presidency Statement: Western Balkans – fostering the integration momentum, Gymnich - Hluboká nad Vltavou

Photo Gallery

27.3. 2009 - First day of informal meeting of the EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs (arrivals, doorsteps)
27.3. 2009 - First day of Informal Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs (family photo, meeting, press conference)
28.3. 2009 - Second day of Informal Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs

Video

27.3. 2009 - Press Conference after the first day of the Informal Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs. Presidency press conference with Minister K. Schwarzenberg, Commissioner responsible for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner and High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana.
28.3. 2009 - Press Conference after the second day of the Informal Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs. Presidency press conference with Minister K. Schwarzenberg, Commissioner for Enlargement O. Rhen and High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana.