A busy first week in office for new HR/VP Mogherini

Met dank overgenomen van Europese Dienst voor Extern Optreden (EDEO) i, gepubliceerd op zondag 9 november 2014.

EU High Representative Federica Mogherini i started her first week in office with a full agenda, She spoke to several EU Foreign Ministers over the phone and also had a phone conversation with US Secretary of State, John Kerry i. She held several high level meetings in Brussels, including with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg i, and travelled to Poland and the Middle East.

EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini started her mandate on 1 November with a phone conversation with US Secretary of State, John Kerry, to discuss the most important developments around the world - from the conflict in the Middle East, to the situation in Libya and Ukraine. They also exchanged views on how to tackle the Ebola outbreak. Mogherini and Kerry agreed to meet in person very soon and reaffirmed the strong relations between the EU and the US and their determination to cooperate even more closely in the future.

On Monday, Mogherini took time out from a busy schedule to meet her staff at the European External Action Service. She spent almost two hours discussing her priorities and having a direct exchange of ideas on how to go forward. In an inspiring address to staff based at the Brussels headquarters as well as to thousands of staff in EU delegations who followed via livestream, Mogherini said: "I can feel the energy in this room today. We have the opportunity to show that the EU is something unique. I feel privileged to work with you to make the European dream come true."

The High Representative also spoke to some of her EU Foreign Ministers over the phone. And in she met with Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, who was visiting Brussels, as well as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss the EU - NATO cooperation. During her time at the Brussels headquarters she also attended the first college meeting of the new Commission and convened the group of External Relations Commissioners to discuss how best to cooperate on the many challenges ahead.

Mogherini then travelled to Warsaw for her first diplomatic visit in a Member State to hold talks with the Polish President Bronisław Komorowski as well as the Polish Foreign and Defence Ministers. Speaking in Warsaw, the High Representative stated that the "so-called" elections in eastern Ukraine "were a very negative sign," and that "the issues of sanctions is always on the table".

Over the weekend the High Representative travelled to the Middle East to visit Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Gaza and Ramallah where she met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu i and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. During her visit she stressed the need to make rapid progress on a two state solution. Speaking at a press conference during her visit, Mogherini said: “Count on the European Union to build this new start. It's also in the European interests to have stability and security and peace in this part of the region, and we are convinced that European Union can have a major role in supporting a solution.”

Mogherini then travelled to Jordan to meet the King and foreign minister Nasser Judeh. This first visit of Federica Mogherini as High Representative/Vice president to the region is a signal of the priority given to the Middle East by the EU and the High Representative's determination to play a role in the stabilization, reconstruction and revival of the peace process.

Find out more:

Read Mogherini's intereviews to six European newspapers

Check out this press release on Mogherini's meeting with Colombian President Santos

Watch Mogherini's press conference with NATO's SG Stoltenberg

Remarks by EU High Representative Federica Mogherini ahead of her meeting with Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu

Read about the first college meeting of Juncker's Commission