FM Venizelos addresses EU counterparts on Syria peace talks

Addressing the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels on Monday, Government Vice President and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos said it was vital to avoid giving any impression of any disagreement between the EU's Foreign Affairs Council and the UN Secretary General at the upcoming Geneva II conference on Syria, hosted by the UN.
Venizelos also stressed the need to keep up pressure, right up to the last moment, on the moderate Syrian opposition to participate substantially in the conference.

Referring to developments in Egypt, the foreign minister noted that the situation remains urgent and that there is a need to implement the roadmap announced by the government for a return to normalcy. He underscored the need for a truly inclusive framework. He also noted that the approval of the new Constitution in the recent referendum was an important step, but would not suffice.

Lastly, Venizelos stated that the European Union should send a message to the Egyptian people and government, encouraging the country’s course towards institutional normalcy.