Press release 03 September 2008
Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Carl Bildt to attend an informal meeting of foreign ministers in France

On Friday 5 September to Saturday 6 September, Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt will travel to Avignon, France to take part in an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers. The main issue on the agenda will be the Georgia conflict and EU relations with Russia. The US election and the conflicts in Afghanistan and Pakistan will also be discussed.

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EU foreign ministers meet informally once every six months in the country holding the Presidency. This informal meeting of foreign ministers is sometimes called a 'Gymnich' since the first meeting was held during the German Presidency in 1974 at Gymnich Castle, north of Bonn.