The Minister of State, Minister for Foreign Affairs Luís Amado will attend the EU General Affairs Council (GAC) and the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) in Brussels.

The 27 MFA’s GAC meeting will focus on the presentation of the EU Spanish Presidency programme for this semester and its priorities, namely: promoting EU economic recovery and sustainable growth; the Treaty of Lisbon implementation; strengthening EU foreign policy to make it a truly global player and fostering a Europe of rights and freedoms for its citizens.
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The FAC will continue the discussion on the EU's response to the earthquake in Haiti begun at the extraordinary meeting on January 18. Commissioner de Gucht will report on his visit to Haiti and High Representative Ashton will report on her visit to the United States and the UN. The coordination of EU contributions in response to UN requests for Haitian assistance will also be under discussion.

The setting up of an EU military force to contribute to the training of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government's Security Forces, the developments in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Operation Althea in light of the elections to take place in October this year, the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the preparation of the London Conference on Afghanistan to be held this week, the Yemen situation and Ukraine are also on the Foreign Affairs Council agenda.

During lunch, the 27 MFA’s will discuss Iran and hold further discussions on Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Luís Amado will also have dinner with Portuguese EU Parliament members.