North Atlantic Treaty Organization
May 18, 2015
Doorstep statement by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg prior to the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in the format of Ministers of Defence and Ministers of Foreign Affairs
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg talking to the media prior to the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in the format of Ministers of Defence and Ministers of Foreign Affairs
Good morning.
I’m glad to be back at the European Council.
And I think it is an expression of the close cooperation between the European Union and NATO.
Last week High Representative vice president Mogherini participated in the NATO Foreign Ministerial meeting in Antalya.
Today I will meet with the Defence Ministers and Foreign Ministers of the European Union.
And I think this close cooperation is very natural because we are facing the same security environment, the same challenges.
To the east we see more assertive Russia, responsible for aggressive actions in Ukraine.
And the important thing now is to make sure that the Minsk agreements are fully implemented. And I call all parties to respect the ceasefire and to allow the OSCE monitors full access so they can monitor the ceasefire and the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.
To the south we see turmoil, we see violence.
And I strongly support the efforts by the UN to reach a political agreement which can establish a unity government in Libya and to establish ceasefire.
NATO stands ready to help the government of Libya to build defence capacity, to increase their ability to defend themselves, and to create stability when conditions allow for such defence capacity building efforts by NATO in Libya.
I also welcome the decision that the European Union will take today on establishing an operation at sea to dismantle the criminal networks that are responsible for smuggling people across the Mediterranean.
And I welcome these efforts by the European Union.
And also the dialogue between the European Union and the United Nations to create necessary mandates for such operation.
Lastly, I am looking forward to the EU Council on defence in June. I think that would be a new opportunity to develop the close cooperation between the European Union and NATO. And also an opportunity to address defence capabilities, and also defence industry, and how we can work together to augment and to increase our collective defence.
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