"On behalf of Slovenia I called for a greater role of the EU in forging dialogue to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East. Slovenia calls for respect of Iraq's sovereignty and international law, and condemns attacks on civilians, foreign units and cultural monuments," he said according to the Foreign Ministry.

Cerar also acknowledged that the fight against Islamic State (IS) had to remain a priority for the international community and reiterated Slovenia's commitment to remaining a partner in the fight against IS and continue training Iraqi security forces.

Slovenia pulled out its six instructors from Iraq yesterday after Iran bombed two US bases, but said its involvement in the mission remained unchanged and that fresh troops would be sent to Iraq soon.

The meeting also touched on the situation in Libya, with the ministers agreeing that the EU should play a proactive role in facilitating dialogue.

Slovenia supports this stance. "We urge all the sides involved in the Libya conflict to respect international humanitarian law and engage in dialogue. Slovenia welcomes Germany's efforts to host a conference in Berlin with the aim of finding a permanent solution for Libya," Cerar was quoted as saying.