President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with Belgian Senate Speaker Christine Defraigne. During the meeting, views were exchanged on the challenges posed to European security by Russia's aggression and international terrorism, the priorities of the upcoming NATO summit in Warsaw, the migration crisis, and bilateral relations between Lithuania and Belgium.

At their weekly meeting on 13 January 2016, the College of Commissioners discussed the refugee crisis, looking at the measures taken in 2015 and the initiatives to be presented in spring 2016. In the past year an unprecedented rise in the number of people seeking international protection in Europe proved a major test for the Common European Asylum System and the Schengen area. The European Commission took swiftly measures to respond to the crisis, and continues to work with Member States and third country partners to manage the flow of people, protect Europe's borders, and address the root causes of these migratory pressures. 2016 will be another important year for progress towards an asylum system based on solidarity and fair sharing of responsibilities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania strongly condemns today's terror attack on the Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul's tourist district. According to preliminary information, 10 people were killed, while at least 15 people were wounded. Some of the victims are foreign tourists, mostly German citizens.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė accepted letters of credence from Valeriu Frija, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova.

The attack on an MSF health centre in Razeh district, northern Yemen, which resulted in several casualties and many wounded today is unacceptable. Our thoughts and condolences are with the families and colleagues of those affected at this time.

On 8 January 2016, an eleventh video conference was held between the contact points nominated after the Western Balkans Route Leaders' Meeting held on 25 October. The objective was to follow up on the agreement reached at the meeting and set out in the Leaders' Statement.

Remarks by HRVP Federica MOGHERINI following the meeting with the Libyan Presidency Council and with Libyan Designate-Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj on 8 January 2016.

On 7 January 2016, the Council appointed Mr Kęstutis Lančinskas, a senior Lithuanian police official, as head of the European Union Advisory Mission Ukraine. Mr Lančinskas will replace Mr Kalman Mizsei and is expected to take up his duties in Kyiv on 1 February 2016.

The High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini spoke this morning with the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea, Yun Byung-se, and the Foreign Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, following the alleged nuclear test executed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has stated that it carried out a nuclear test this morning.