Czech's Organize European Union Delegation

The President of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council and Foreign Minister of the Czech Rep., K. Schwarzenberg, will preside over the European Union delegation that will come together in the Middle East to discuss the Gaza Assault and to provide solutions to the current problems which will try to seek an armistice agreement. On January 4 - 6 meetings will be held in Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan which will bring together members of the "Troika" (the Presidency, the European Commission, and the European Council). Benita Ferrero-Waldnerm, the Commissioner in charge of External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy, and the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union
and High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier
Solana, will take part in this delegation of the European Commission. Other members of the delegation include the Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, representing the following Presidency, and the French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, invited by the Czech Presidency in order to ensure a smooth transition.The objectives of the EU mission headed by Minister Schwarzenberg are above all: to establish a dialogue with partners of the European Union in the Middle East area; to assess the current situation and to look at possible ways of re-establishing armistice in the Gaza Strip, and to look for ways of providing humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza in order to coordinate and unify action of the EU mechanisms - the Presidency, the European Commission and the European Council. If you have any questions please contact Zuzana Opletalová, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
press@mzv.cz
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