High Representative Mogherini steps up cooperation with NATO

The High Representative attended the NATO Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels on Wednesday, December 2. After the meeting the High Representative talked to the press together with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The High Representative highlighted the EU support to the Alliance: "The allies in NATO and the Member States of the European Union fully support, fully acknowledged, fully recognize the key importance of the European Union's role and the partnership with NATO, given the security situations we are facing outside of Europe, at our borders, but also inside of Europe."

She took the chance to remind that EU and NATO can be complementary and to recall the importance of cooperation: "We face common challenges. We have many Members in common. We are different in nature as organizations, but we can be complementary". The EU and NATO are ready to step up cooperation in three key areas. First on hybrid threats: "We are preparing together with the European Commission and the European Defence Agency a joint framework. We will present a set of concrete proposals to the European Union Member States and in this respect cooperation and interaction with NATO will be an integral part of our planned actions, including as regards awareness and analysis." Secondly the support to the security sector in partner countries, especially in the Middle East and in North Africa. Thirdly, while NATO prepares for the Warsaw Summit, the EU is implementing the decisions Taken in June at the level of Heads of States and Government on security and defence.

The High Representative also had two important bilateral meetings in the margins of the NATO ministerial. She met with US Secretary of State John Kerry to exchange views on the situation in Syria and Libya, and on the Middle East Peace Process. They agreed on the need to bring forward the follow up of the process started in Vienna for a political solution of the crisis in Syria, crucial also for an effective fight against Daesh. On Libya, the High Representative and the US Secretary of State underlined the urgency for the parties to agree on a Government of National Accord. On the Middle East, they shared the concern that without concrete steps on the ground the situation could deteriorate further, and they both stressed their common engagement in this respect, also through the work of the Quartet.

Then Mogherini met with Salahuddin Rabbani, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Together they confirmed the next Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan, to be held in Brussels on 4-5 October 2016. This Conference will renew international support and partnership until 2020, in parallel to the security-related efforts pursued in the NATO framework.

"The conference will send a strong signal of hope, confidence and change to the Afghan people," said Mogherini. "After decades of conflict, our commitment to a better future for Afghanistan is vital if we are to meet the aspirations of Afghan citizens. We discussed the security challenges Afghanistan is facing and the need to work together for ensuring peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan."