Liechtenstein: Foreign Minister Frick in Luxembourg
Councillor Aurelia Frick went to Luxembourg on Monday 8 June for a working visit. Her discussions centred with Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn about the Luxembourg EU Presidency which will be in the second half of 2015. Aurelia Frick also met Minister of Culture Maggy Nagel and Lydia Mutsch, Minister for Equal Opportunities. Liechtenstein and Luxembourg maintain both bilaterally and in international organisations a close collaboration that is underlined and strengthened by regular visits at ministerial level. The conversations between the two foreign ministers centred mainly on European issues. While Jean Asselborn presented the priorities of the Luxembourg EU Presidency, Foreign Minister Aurelia Frick campaigned for understanding among concerns around the Liechtenstein financial contributions under the EEA Financial Mechanism and the difficulties in the adoption of EU legislation in the EEA. Aurelia Frick and Jean Asselborn also mentioned the current challenges posed by refugee flows to Europe.
Latvia: Military exercises by 11,000 troops from 8 to 19 June
The Baltic-region based Saber Strike military exercises have been an annual part of NATO’s Allied Shield training exercises since 2010. This year they began in Latvia at 10 am at the Adazi military base in Latvia on 8 June. Present at the ceremony were recently elected Latvian President (currently Defence Minister), Raimonds Vejonis, of the Greens and Farmers Union, and National Armed Forces Commander Raimonds Graube. The exercises will take place in all three Baltic States and Poland. The joint exercises will host more than 6,000 troops from the United States, Great Britain, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Poland, Norway, Denmark and Slovenia. According to Allied Command Operations, this military exercise will see the involvement of approximately 11,000 troops from nineteen different Allies and three partner nations. These training events are part of Nato's assurance measures in response to challenges on its southern and eastern periphery.See also
Kosovo: Five EU members under pressure to recognise Kosovo
Five European Union member states that have not recognised the 2008 unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence are under pressure to change their position. Slovakia, Greece, Cyprus, Romania and Spain were ‘targeted by great powers,” Vecernje novosti newspaper claims. The Belgrade daily adds that some Latin American and Caribbean countries are also under pressure. Pristina recently claimed that Nigeria could soon recognise Kosovo. On the other hand, Serbia will intensify its diplomatic efforts in order to prevent new recognitions. The issue will be discussed by the Serbian government; more than 100 countries have recognised Kosovo as a state while Pristina strives to reach the majority in UN General Assembly.
Italy: 1,200 rescued migrants
On Monday Royal Navy warship HMS Bulwark arrived in an Italian port, carrying 1,200 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean Sea. The ship docked at Catania, in Sicily, where the migrants will be handed over to the Italian authorities. Bulwark has been on a search and rescue mission in the area for the past month. Captain Nick Cooke-Priest said the people traffickers were committing acts ‘tantamount to murder’. BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale, who was on board Bulwark during the rescue, said a small, wooden vessel had been packed with about 400 people. There had also been two rubber dinghies, each carrying about 100 people. The fact that many didn't even have life jackets was another reminder that the gangs who trafficked them had little regard for their lives. Five of the men rescued are going to be questioned by Italian police about possible links to the smuggling gangs.
