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Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Simon Coveney T.D. will attend the Foreign Affairs Council, a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers, in Brussels on Monday (22 March).

Ministers are expected to discuss a range of foreign policy issues, including recent developments in Myanmar, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Russia, Georgia, Venezuela and the Western Balkans. The Foreign Affairs Council will take stock of the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and the EU’s relations with Turkey ahead of the European Council on 25-26 March, which will consider a report on these issues by the EU High Representative Josep Borrell.

EU Ministers will have an exchange of views by videoconference with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet and will launch a Strategic Dialogue between the EU and the UN High Commissioner.

Speaking before the meeting, the Minister commented:

“Ireland strongly supports the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the work of her office. As a current member of the Security Council, Ireland has committed to work to promote respect for international human rights law and international humanitarian law and to ensure accountability for violations. Ireland and High Commissioner Bachelet share important priorities, including the protection of civic space, and support for human rights defenders and gender equality worldwide. I look forward to exchanging views with the High Commissioner also on country situations of current particular concern, such as Myanmar and Ethiopia.

“I look forward also to a strategic discussion on the EU’s relationship with Turkey. This was one of the items I discussed with Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu in my visit to Ankara in January. Our aim is to develop a constructive and co-operative EU-Turkey relationship.”

Minister Coveney will also update his EU colleagues on his recent visit to Iran (7 March).