US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) meets High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini in Brussels, Belgium on February 15, 2019. ( EU COUNCIL / HANDOUT - Anadolu Agency )
BRUSSELS
EU foreign policy chief met on Friday U.S. State Secretary in Brussels amid tension over European stance on Iran.
Federica Mogherini and Mike Pompeo stressed the importance of “transatlantic cooperation between the European Union and the United States on a wide range of foreign policy issues,” according to a written statement by Mogherini’s office.
The meeting came a day after U.S. Vice President Mike Pence accused the EU of trying to undermine U.S.’ economic sanctions against Iran during a Middle East peace conference in Warsaw, Poland on Thursday.
Foreign policy issues that Mogherini and Pompeo cooperate include “the current work towards a peaceful and democratic transition in Venezuela, the need to ensure a political transition in Syria, support to peace in Afghanistan and to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula ahead of the upcoming US-DPRK [North Korea] summit,” the statement said.
The two also discussed “the situation in Ukraine, as well as EU-US cooperation in the Western Balkans, in particular following the entry into force of the Prespa agreement [resolving the name dispute between North Macedonia and Greece] and the US support for the EU-facilitated Serbia-Kosovo dialogue,” it added.
The statement made no mention of Iran issue.
Reporting by Serife Cetin
