Athens, 08/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 8 January, Greece's Foreign Affairs Minister Evangelos Venizelos said he wanted the EU to take a more important part in current Mediterranean issues such as the Syrian, Lebanese and Libyan crises.
“Our objective is to take greater initiatives not only in terms of humanitarian policy but as regards the political crises that these countries are facing”, he said. “This is a question of open, unresolved conflicts”, he said. “A more targeted policy is needed in order to be successful (…). There are big changes in our region, with our neighbours in the south. We have to face up to these”, Venizelos added.
Venizelos stated that, while decisions are taken at the level of the United Nations, “it is very important to act alongside so that the European Union does not take a backseat compared with the initiatives of the United States and Russia”. These two countries are currently trying to organise the so-called Geneva II peace conference for peace in Syria. Although the EU supports the initiative, it seems to be taking a backseat. Venizelos stated that High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy “Catherine Ashton has shown that the EU is capable of acting and taking decisions”. Ashton helped an agreement between Serbia and Kosovo and has led the discussions on the Iranian nuclear programme. (CG/transl.fl)