MEPs urged all the political actors and security forces in Egypt to show the utmost restraint and avoid provocation and further violence, in a vote on Thursday. The interim authorities and security forces must ensure the security of all citizens and commit to dialogue and non-violence, and to respecting their obligations, they said.

Lithuania's MFA is of the opinion that the European Union should immediately consider possible further action with regard to abduction, torture and inhuman treatment of peaceful protesters in Ukraine.

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle met with Georgian Prime Minister, Irakli Gharibashvili in Brussels today. It was the Prime Minister's first official visit to Brussels since taking office last November and first meeting with Commissioner Füle.

The EU has welcomed recent decisions by the Chinese authorities to deepen the reform of the justice system and to uphold the Constitution and laws to protect human rights.

Today, on 1 February, Lithuania begins its one month's Presidency of the United Nations Security Council. The country will have this responsibility again next year.

With more than half of its population in need of humanitarian assistance and 20% internally displaced, the Central African Republic is struggling to restore peace and stability. The country experienced a coup in March last year and violence escalated in December. As the Parliament will debate on 5 February Europe's role in the troubled country, we asked MEPs Michael Gahler, a German member of the EPP, and Louis Michel, a Belgian member of the ALDE group, how the EU could make a difference.

On 28 January, the United Nations Security Council adopted a Resolution, extending the mandate of the UN Integrated Peace-building Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA) for one year. The resolution also authorized the EU operation in the Central African Republic in support of French military endeavours.

'Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov has handed in his resignation,' - has informed a press service of the Council of Ministers in Kiev on Tuesday morning. The head of the government has decided to leave the position because of the very serious political crisis in his country.

Our European hopes, wishes and efforts for closer association with Ukraine did not materialise. And the disappointment has only worsened as the situation in Ukraine has continued to deteriorate.

On 23 January, Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Ukrainian Ambassador to Lithuania Valeriy Zhovtenko. He was requested to convey to the Ukrainian authorities Lithuania's position on the recent events in Kyiv, during which people were killed and wounded.