Video conference of foreign affairs ministers, 19 November 2020

Summary:

EU Ministers responsible for matters relating to foreign affairs held a videoconference on 19 November 2020. The agenda included the following items:

• Discussion on the situation in Belarus, followed by agreement on third package of sanctions;
• Exchange of views on the outcome of the 2020 elections in the United States of America and overall direction of transatlantic relations;
• Briefing on upcoming Afghanistan Pledging Conference;
• Discussion on the situation in Nagorno Karabakh;
• Briefing on the latest developments in Libya and Ethiopia;
• Discussion on the further deterioration in the eastern Mediterranean;
• Discussion on how the European Union (EU) can help defend and modernise the multilateral system.

Ahead of the video conference, the Council adopted conclusions on the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy 2020-2024. In the margins of the video conference, there was an exchange of views with Palestine's Foreign Minister on the situation in Palestine, the Middle Eastern Peace Process (MEPP) and on bilateral relations.

Official

General Secretariat of the Council: Background Brief for the Video conference of foreign affairs ministers, 19 November 2020 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/46837/background-brief-en.pdf

EU EEAS: Video conference of Foreign Affairs Ministers: Remarks by the High Representative Josep Borrell at the press conference (19 November 2020) https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/88998/

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