Full_Report (pdf* format - 86.9 Kbytes)Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, made today the following remarks:
"Welcome all. I am pleased so many have come. Some of you have travelled a great distance. All of you represent countries and organisations that have a key stake in how we can best support the momentous changes that are sweeping through Tunisia, Egypt and beyond.
Over the last few weeks we have all watched events in Tunisia and Egypt unfold. Across the Arab world we see populations demonstrating their desire for change; to shape their own lives, politically and economically. The scale and consequences of these changes are historic. We must ensure that our response is on a similar historic scale.
Our focus today is Tunisia and Egypt. But we are extremely concerned about developments in Libya, where we face an unacceptable situation with violent attacks against peaceful protesters. Gaddafi's defiant speech yesterday has only raised our concerns. We welcome and fully agree with the statement of the UN Security Council with its firm condemnation of the violence, its rejection of the on-going repression and its call for those responsible to be held to account.
