Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on October 15 in Luxembourg. The Council mostly discussed recent developments in Syria, the Iranian nuclear issue, the Middle East Peace Process, the situation in Mali as well as developments in the Eastern Neighbourhood countries, following parliamentary elections carried out recently in Belarus and Georgia. On Syria, Avramopoulos underscored the urgent need to de-escalate tension and promote a political solution that will allow the Syrian people to express their genuine concerns with regard to their future. 
The FM also presented a Greek proposal for enhancing institutional cooperation between the EU and the Arab League through regular political consultations and sectoral cooperation in joint committees. While in Luxembourg, Avramopoulos also participated in a working dinner of the EU Foreign Ministers with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. In his remarks, Avramopoulos stressed the importance to Greece of further strengthening the EU’s strategic partnership with Russia, to the benefit of both sides.
The meeting provided an opportunity for an exchange of views ahead of the EU-Russia Summit Meeting in Brussels, set for December.
