Diplomacy

Oil prices jumped to a new high after a disagreement between Saudi Arabia and the UAE about oil production quotas. West Texas Intermediate crude advanced to $76.98 a barrel, the highest since November 2014, as the OPEC+ talks are postponed indefinitely. Meanwhile, Brent crude, the global benchmark, maintained its three-year high of about $77 a barrel. 

The EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, has called for more EU engagement with the South Caucasus. Writing on his blog on the website of the European External Action Service, Borrell said that there is a growing expectation on the side of EU member states and partners for the EU to take a more active role in addressing the conflicts in the Eastern neighbourhood. "We are ready to help rebuild not only physical roads and bridges, but also paths to reconciliation and peaceful co-existence," the High Representative said.

The eighth High-Level Political and Security Dialogue between the European Union and the countries of Central Asia - Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - took place on Thursday (1 July) in the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, with the participation of Afghanistan as special guest. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss regional dynamics and advance region-to-region cooperation on a broad spectrum of issues, including border management, security and the promotion of sustainable connectivity.

Slovenia took over today (1 July) the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union. The country takes over the EU Presidency from Portugal. This is the second time Slovenia holds the EU presidency since it joined the European Union in 2004. It held the presidency the first time in 2008. The Presidency of the European Union changes every six months.

Pope Francis will today (1 July) meet in the Vatican with ten Lebanese Christian leaders to reflect on the dire economic and political situation in their country, which he hopes to visit soon.

The UAE foreign minister, Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan, and his Israeli counterpart, Yair Lapid, on Tuesday (29 June) signed the 12th agreement between the two countries, covering economic and trade co-operation. Lapid is on his first official visit to Abu Dhabi to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations in light of the agreement between the two sides, as well as the situation in the Middle East region.

The EU has condemned the decision of the Belarus government decision to suspend the country's membership in the Eastern Partnership, and said it would continue to co-operate with the people of Belarus.