EU FMs to discuss situation in Libya, Egypt and Syria

Foreign ministers of the 28-member European Union are to begin later today their formal meeting with the focuss on developments in the southern Mediterranean region. "Our special attention today is on Libya and the deteriorating security situation there. That will be part of a broader discussion we will have today on the southern Mediterranean, to review what is happening in Egypt, to look at the situation in Iraq and to focus on issues for example Syria and the countries directly reflected by refugees like Jordan," EU High Representative Catherine Ashton told reporters ahead of the meeting. On Egypt, the EU foreign policy chief said the "last few days have seen some interesting developments, we have seen the state of emergency changing, we have seen trails beginning and we have seen the potential of perhaps some sort of reconciliation." Ashton said she will be soon receiving the Egyptian deputy prime minister to discuss what the EU can do more to support the difficult transition period. She said EU foreign ministers would want to hear more about what happened with the Iran talks, and added that she will go back to Geneva Tuesday evening to continue the next round of discussions with Iran on the nuclear issue. Ashton expressed her happiness that the rerun elections in northern Kosovo yesterday went without incidents. The EU foreign ministers will also discuss preparation for the upcoming summit with six Eastern European countries in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius later this month. She said that EU defence ministers will join foreign ministers this afternoon to prepare for the EU summit in December which will reflect on the EU common security and defence policy.