28 October: The European Union High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, will visit Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in November. This will be Baroness Ashton's first visit to the region (agencies)

Borrell underlined that the European Union will make every effort to support the peace process and to remain a committed partner to the Afghan people. "Of course, we will have to take into account the evolving situation, but disengagement is not an option.  We are clear on that: there is no alternative to a negotiated political settlement, through inclusive peace talks.

Khalaf Khalafov, the Azerbaijani President's Representative on Special Assignments, has held a number of meetings in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. As part of the trip, Khalafov met with Murat Nurtleu, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan & Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Erzhan Kazykhan, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for External Affairs.