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Last night the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney T.D. attended an informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in New York. The meeting, held in the margins of the UN’s General Assembly, was hosted by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. The meeting had a particular focus on Libya, and the UN Secretary General’s Special Representative for Libya, Mr. Ghassan Salamé’s, was invited to attend.

Speaking after the meeting, Minister Coveney said:

“I met with fellow EU Foreign Ministers in New York, which was a useful occasion to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern at the UN General Assembly. We also had the opportunity to hear from the UN Special Representative Salamé on developments on the ground in Libya, and the UN’s efforts to facilitate agreement on outstanding issues there. The situation in Libya is one of grave concern. The EU supports UN mediation efforts and encourages inclusive and constructive dialogue among the parties. We have also called on the Libyan authorities to respect human rights and to improve humanitarian conditions for migrants. Ireland continues to contribute to naval rescue efforts in the Mediterranean.”