Foreign Minister Aivis Ronis at EU Meeting of Foreign Ministers participates in discussion on relationship with strategic partners

On 10-11 September, Foreign Minister Aivis Ronis participates in the Informal Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the European Union (EU) in Brussels, Belgium. The discussions will focus are on the relationship with strategic partners – China, India, and Brazil. Opinions will be exchanged on the situation in Pakistan, the relationship between the EU and Turkey, as well as the working methods of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, among them, in the formation of the European Union’s Foreign Office.

On 11 September, a meeting between the ministers from the EU Member States and ministers from the EU candidate states is planned, with first-time participation by the Foreign Minister of Iceland. Latvia has supported Iceland consistently on its course towards gaining the status of an EU candidate state and in the commencement of the EU accession negotiations.

During the Meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers, opinions will be formulated for the European Council’s meeting to be held on 16 September in Brussels that is in particular devoted to the EU relationship with its strategic partners. The European Union has established strategic partnership with Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, Mexico, Russian Federation, South Korea, and the USA.

An Informal Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the EU is held once under each presidency. Since 1 July 2010, the EU presidency has been held by Belgium.