Conference 'Eastern Mediterranean - Western Balkans Route': press conference by Federica Mogherini

• published: 09 Oct 2015
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EN - High-level Conference 'Eastern Mediterranean - Western Balkans Route': press conference by Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union & Vice-President of the European Commission - FULL version - 08.10.2015 - Council, European Convention Center Luxembourg (ECCL), Luxembourg. EXTRACTS of the transcript - Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC: "Working together, help us understanding better the problems and identifying the solutions we can put in place together. (...) Five main lines of common action we have decided to put together. First common work to address many routes causes of the phenomenon starting with the crisis in Syria. I´ll put the issue on the agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council that will meet here on Monday. We have decided with our partners around the table tonight to work together to start a political process that finally can bring an end to the war in Syria. Within the UN framework, within the international force that are made on that umbrella but we need together with the security track and humanitarian track on the crisis in Syria have the political transition starting and we have agreed to do that work together. Second, the support to the countries that are mainly hosting around Syria and mainly Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, commanding them is not enough we have decided to increase the humanitarian aid to support the governments and to increase the resettlement opportunities for refugees. Third, we have decided together to support the transit countries mainly the Western Balkan´s ones. Fourth, to increase cooperation on the fight against organised crime. Our work against smugglers and traffickers on the central Mediterranean route has focused very much on fight against criminal networks. We need to intensify cooperation at police level on the Western Balkans route as well and increase border management capacity on that route. Fifth, we have decided together to work with countries of origin of irregular migrants discussing return and reintegration of migrants not in title of international protection and in parallel discussing ways to improve security, social economic conditions, education opportunities in particular for young people in these countries of origin. (...)" Q&A; with the Press On 8 October 2015 in Luxembourg took place the High level Conference on the Eastern Mediterranean – Western Balkans Route. Jean Asselborn, minister for Foreign and European Affairs, minister for Immigration and Asylum, and Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the Commission, convened this meeting, in order to discuss with all relevant partners the importance of this route in the increased migratory flows coming from the Middle East. In order to have a comprehensive approach on the issue, it was a joint meeting of Ministers for Home Affairs (responsible for migration and asylum) and of Ministers for Foreign Affairs, together with their counterparts from Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, as well as from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYROM, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia). Associated countries (Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland) are also invited. Representatives of UNHCR, International Organization for Migration, World Food Program, as well as of Frontex and EASO, were invited to present the situation on the ground. The key areas of discussion are: increasing support to Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, the countries of first asylum hosting most Syrian refugees, to help them face the pressure supporting all affected transit countries to improve reception, registration and asylum processing capabilities enhancing cooperation to fight organised crime responsible for migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings addressing the root causes of forced displacement engaging with countries of origin of irregular migrants The high level conference is expected to adopt a declaration. This declaration will set out the main principles, goals and actions participants will jointly subscribe to and will undertake, to ensure full protection for refugees, orderly management of borders and return of persons not entitled to international protection. © Frédérick Moulin 2015 - EU2015 - Council - All rights reserved.