Foreign Ministers Meet in C5 Format in Tomasov, Discuss Ukraine and Migration

Tomasov, 12 September (TASR) - Five foreign ministers of central Europe met in the Central 5 (C5) format in the village of Tomasov (Bratislava region) on Thursday (11 September) to discuss the current situation in Ukraine and the Middle East, illegal migration and EU enlargement. The foreign affairs ministers of Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Slovenia condemned the violation of Polish airspace by drones during a Russian attack on Ukraine, Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) has told TASR. "We are united in our approach of aid and solidarity ... We want a definitive solution to be supported by continuing the peace efforts started by the US president's administration," he added. Concerning the situation in the Middle East, the ministers agreed on the need to respect international and humanitarian law, viewing this as crucial, stated Blanar. Austrian Foreign Affairs Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said that the common goal is to create the kind of peace in Ukraine that would guarantee long-term security and peace for the people. She called for increased pressure on Russia. According to Meinl-Reisinger, Austria is calling for a change in the perception of illegal migration and the introduction of a new migration pact. The rules should guarantee a halt to illegal migration and respect for human rights. Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Peter Szijjarto pointed out that central Europe faces common challenges, with migration being the most serious of them. He recalled that Hungary built a fence on the external border of the European Union (EU), claiming that this has protected Europe from over one billion illegal migrants. Szijjarto assured the ministers that Hungary will continue to protect the EU from illegal migration in this way. However, he said that Hungary is being fined by the Union for this fence on a daily basis, while the Union has promised financial assistance to Poland for building its own fence. "This is a huge injustice. This is a double standard, and that's why I've asked my colleagues for solidarity in this matter," said Szijjarto. According to the Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Jan Lipavsky, the ministers found agreement on the issue of the Western Balkans. "This in particular concerns integration into the EU. Bringing these countries closer to the European Union will help to improve the economic situation, but it must also have a value and security aspect, so that we can find agreement on these basic matters," stated Lipavsky. He added that the ministers at the meeting also touched on the situation in the Middle East, stating that the humanitarian situation there isn't good and that the peace process must continue there as well. Slovenian Foreign Affairs Minister Tanja Fajon called on the partners to recognise Palestine as a state, as Slovenia has done. ko/df