On Saturday 11 July 2015, Luxembourg Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, visited the city of Ludwigshafen, Germany at the invitation of Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer.
Minister Asselborn arrived in the city to participate in a closed meeting of the Federal State government, enabling him to discuss the relations between the Grand Duchy and Rhineland-Palatinate and the potential opportunities for further co-operaton between the two regions.
The Minister subsequently took the opportunity to present the state of play of negotiations on the situation in Greece, which he deemed are "of fundamental importance for the future of Europe, both financially and politically."
Talks then focused on migration in the Mediterranean, and the role of the European Union and its Member States in the solution of the problem of refugees. The Minister recently visited Lampedusa's Migrant Reception Area in Italy, and stressed at the Ludwigshafen meeting the importance of European solidarity in aiding its most vulnerable people. At an informal meeting of ministers which took place last week, Minister Asselborn stated:
"The smuggling of migrants is claiming the lives of many people and generates billions of dollars for criminals; this breeds corruption and strengthens organised crime, which has an impact on the countries of origin, of transit and of destination."
Photo by Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (L-R: Luxembourg Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn; Minister-President of Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer)
