By KUNA,
Brussels : Foreign ministers of the 27-member European Union will hold their formal monthly meeting here Monday and Tuesday and discuss the situation regarding the Middle East Peace Process, Afghanistan, and the EU’s anti-piracy naval operation off Somalia.
They will also discuss ties with Russia, ahead of the EU-Russia summit in Stockholm on Wednesday, and ties with Ukraine ahead of the EU-Ukraine Summit, to be held in Kiev December 4, said EU sources here.
On Monday, EU foreign and defense ministers will hold a joint meeting with the Secretary General of NATO, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, to discuss common challenges in crisis management.
The joint session of EU foreign and defense ministers will also discuss Bosnia and Herzegovina and recent developments in the field of European Security and in Defense Policy as a whole.
EU defense ministers will meet separately to review military capabilities and operations, notably operation Atalanta off Somalia and broader engagement in Somalia.
Another joint session of EU foreign and developments ministers on Monday will discuss Afghanistan, in the context of democracy support in EU external relations.
An EU-Jordan Association Council will be held on Monday and an EU-Kazakhstan Cooperation Council on Tuesday.
EU sources said the foreign ministers will take stock of the situation regarding the Middle East Peace Process and discuss possible ways to further support the Palestinians on the way to statehood.
They are expected to welcome the extension of EU judicial mission in Iraq for one year and underline continued commitment of the EU to supporting the development of the rule of law in the country, specifically by providing training of the police, the judiciary, and the penitentiary system.
The foreign ministers are expected to extend EU naval Operation Atalanta off Somalia for another year following the end of the current mandate on December 12.
Moreover, the ministers will prepare the agenda of the formal summit of EU leaders to be held in Brussels December 10-11.