Minister Flanagan To Attend FAC Meeting In Brussels

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan, has travelled to Brussels today, 18 July, to attend a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC).

During his time in Brussels, Minister Flanagan will also meet with US Secretary of State, John Kerry, and he is to have a number of bilateral meetings with EU counterparts as part of a series of discussions with all EU Foreign Ministers. He will also meet the new UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

Ministers will also observe a minute's silence in memory of the victims of the Nice atrocity.

Speaking in advance of the meeting, Minister Flanagan said: "Foreign Affairs Ministers will gather today in the shadow of the Nice atrocity. We will remember the victims who lost their lives in this cruel event, those injured and their families and loved ones.

"I expressed the sympathy and the solidarity of the Irish people to the people of France on Friday in Ulaanbaatar where French Foreign Minister Ayrault attended on behalf of the French Government.

"Counter-terrorism will be discussed as part of the formal agenda.

"The meeting will address recent developments including events in Turkey as well as long term areas of policy consideration including China and Latin America.

"We will meet with US Secretary of State, John Kerry in the morning and with Ministers from Gulf States tonight.

"I will continue with bilateral discussions with EU colleagues in relation to the UK referendum and I look forward to meeting my new UK counterpart, Boris Johnson, who is attending his first Foreign Affairs Council as Foreign Secretary."

(MH/LM)