Today 10 January, Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu attends an extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels to discuss the situation in the Middle East and North Africa due to the recent events in Iraq and Libya.
The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Josep Borrell has invited EU ministers to discuss the situation in connection with the strikes of the United States and Iran in Iraq, and find ways of de-escalating tensions and stabilising the situation. The agenda also includes the latest developments in Libya.
Commenting on the situation in Libya ahead of the meeting, the foreign minister said that Estonia considers the military escalation extremely regrettable. “The Libyan crisis can only be resolved politically, and peace and stability in Libya is achieved through a political transition process that includes all parties,” he said. Estonia supports the activities of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Libya Ghassan Salamé towards achieving a ceasefire and continuing the political process in order to come to an agreement on holding parliamentary and presidential elections.
Estonia has condemned Iran’s missile strikes against coalition bases in Iraq. According to the foreign minister, there are some signs of de-escalation; however, serious negotiations between parties are crucial for reducing tensions and preventing nuclear proliferation. “Estonia is closely following the events and further decisions on international operations in the region will be made with allies,” he said.
Additional information:
Inga Bowden
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia
Communication Department
+372 52 81 467
[email protected]