Press Release: Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Luxembourg, 22-23 April 2013

Main results of the Council:

The Council discussed the latest events in Syria. It also eased certain EU sanctions against Syria, including the oil embargo, so as to help the civilian population and support the opposition in that country. The EU remains the biggest humanitarian donor in the Syrian crisis.
The Council took stock of the situation in Myanmar/Burma and welcomed developments towards democracy, a strong parliament and freedom of expression. It congratulated the government of Myanmar/Burma on what has been achieved, but was conscious that there were still significant challenges to be addressed. In response to the changes, the Council decided to lift all sanctions with the exception of the arms embargo, which it extended for one year.

The Council also examined the situation in Mali and reiterated its determination to support current efforts to eradicate the terrorist threat in the Sahel and in Mali. It welcomed the Malian commitment to implementing the roadmap for the transition and organising free, credible and transparent elections in July. The Council was also prepared to envisage additional EU support for the judicial sector and domestic security in Mali.

Defence ministers held their six-monthly meeting within the Foreign Affairs Council. They discussed security threats in Mali and the wider Sahel region, and reviewed the progress of EU military operations, in particular the EU training mission in Mali. They also continued preparations for the European Council on defence in December 2013, in particular on battlegroups and the defence industry.