Foreign ministers of the 27 European Union (EU) members opened on Monday their two-day monthly meeting in Brussels, with the focus on energy security for the regional bloc and the situation in the Gaza Strip.

The meeting came six days after Russia resumed gas supply to EU member states on last Tuesday. Russia cut gas supplies to Europe on January 7 over disputes with Ukraine on pricing and transition fees, leaving more than a dozen European nations without gas in cold, winter weather. The two former Soviet republics settled the issue on January 18.

The EU ministers are expected to discuss diversification of energy sources, solidarity among member states and other related issues concerning energy security, and the EU relations with Russia, and the relations between Ukraine and Russia.

Meanwhile, the ministers will hold talks on the situation in the Gaza Strip and US President Barack Obama's decision to close the detention camp at Guantanamo, Cuba.

The meeting followed extraordinary talks between EU foreign ministers and their counterparts from Egypt, the Palestinian National Authority, Jordan and Turkey on Sunday night in Brussels, during which the EU urged unity among the Palestinians to help facilitate opening of border crossings to allow more humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, and called for a lasting truce between Israel and Hamas.

In a related development, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana is set to visit the Mid-east starting on Monday afternoon, including stops at Israel, the Palestinian territories, Egypt and Jordan, to help bolster the ceasefire.

(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2009)