Luxembourg, 20 June 2011
A 241/11
We began this morning with a discussion about Sudan and our concern about the deteriorating security situation there. You will know that recent fighting in South Kordofan has cost the lives of civilians and led to a serious humanitarian situation.
We urge all sides to stop the violence and to engage urgently and constructively with President Mbeki and the work of the African Union.
Both the Government of Sudan and the Government of South Sudan need to make sure that they are allowing access to those in need of assistance from those who can offer humanitarian aid.
We agreed today on continued EU engagement for peace, stability and for development for Sudan, and we adopted a "comprehensive approach" to both North and South Sudan.
This includes a range of different measures, including stepping up our development work and helping with the development of accountable government based on human rights and the rule of law.
We are also very conscious that we are less than 3 weeks away from South Sudan's independence.
I was extremely pleased with the positive response to the new European Neighbourhood Policy.
The council welcomed the creation of the Task Force for the Southern Mediterranean, which I hope will give extra coherence to the work that we and the international financial institutions and others are doing in the region.
I hope very soon that we will have the name of the Special Representative to the region who will support me with the Task Force.
You know that I have talked often about the need for us to make sure that we see deep and sustainable democracy in the neighbourhood and that we need an approach that is based on mutual accountability and what I have called the 3 Ms: money, market access, mobility.
So we will start work and we have already begun to develop the strategy.