EU Defence Ministers to discuss Libya, Mali

Developments in the European Union's southern neighbourhood, the current state of EU Common Security and Defence Policy EU operations and missions as well as future EU military capabilities are topics on the agenda of a two-day informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers which begins in Cyprus Wednesday. Cyprus holds the current EU Presidency. Cypriot Defence Minister Demetris Eliades will chair the meeting on behalf of the High Representative Catherine Ashton, said an EU Presidency statement. The first day of the meeting will be devoted to the recent developments in the southern neighbourhood of the EU. Ministers will examine the security developments of the area, including Libya and Mali. Discussions of the second day will focus on the state of play of current EU operations and missions, and ministers will be briefed by the relevant operation and mission commanders. These discussions carry notable significance due to the activity of piracy in the Horn of Africa region, noted the statement Ministers will also discuss the development of EU military capabilities, primarily through pooling and sharing, in an effort to develop a more structured, long term approach. A relevant document prepared by the European Defence Agency will form the basis of the discussions, added the statement.