Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides participated in the proceedings of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, which took place today, 11 April 2022, in Luxembourg. The Council's agenda included developments in Ukraine as well as a number of other regional and international issues.
Speaking during the discussion on Ukraine, the Foreign Minister reiterated that Cyprus condemns the Russian invasion of the country and the crimes committed against the civilian population. The images we have recently seen from the Bucha province have caused the international community to be appalled and Cyprus supports the efforts being made to fully investigate these crimes, he stressed.
Since the beginning of the crisis, the Foreign Minister said, the EU has acted decisively, taking a number of important decisions, such as the adoption of five packages of restrictive measures against Russia. Maintaining this unity, he added, remains the best safeguard for our ability to put pressure on Russia to end this war. A diplomatic solution is urgently needed and the EU must use all its influence in support of this goal, he concluded.
Referring in particular to the restrictive measures imposed so far, the Foreign Minister stressed that Member States have moved to impose tough sanctions, despite the costs they themselves will suffer. In the case of Cyprus, he noted, important sectors of the economy, such as tourism, shipping and services, are expected to be affected. Underlining the importance of universal implementation of the restrictive measures, Mr. Kasoulides said that, unfortunately, our joint efforts run up against the non-implementation of sanctions by EU partner countries, which reduces their effectiveness but also allows these countries to benefit from the suffering of the Ukrainian people, despite the fact that they claim to stand by them. In this context, the Foreign Minister made a specific reference, deploring Turkey's attitude.
In the context of the discussions under the "current affairs" section, the Foreign Minister had the opportunity to refer to the need for the immediate release of EU financial aid funds for Palestine. At the same time, Mr. Kasoulides expressed Cyprus' support for the convening of an EU-Israel Association Council in the near future, with the aim of promoting a positive agenda in EU-Israel relations.
Foreign Ministers also attended a working lunch in the presence of Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt and Icelandic Foreign Minister Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir to discuss developments in Ukraine and the EU's coordinated response.
In the margins of the Council, Mr Kasoulides had separate contacts with the new Foreign Minister of Malta, Mr Ian Borg, and the Foreign Minister of Estonia, Ms Eva-Maria Liimets, with whom he discussed issues of mutual interest. He also participated in an informal working breakfast hosted by the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, Mr Wopke Hoekstra, with an invitation by the Prosecutor General of the International Criminal Court, Mr Karim A. A. Khan QC.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, 12 April, the Foreign Minister will participate in the work of the General Affairs Council. The Council's agenda includes, inter alia, the continuation of the dialogue on the rule of law and the Conference on the Future of Europe. In addition, during a working lunch, Ministers will have an exchange of views on the green and digital transition.
(MF/SX)
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