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On 19 November in Brussels, during the meeting of EU foreign ministers, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis encouraged all the EU Member States to enhance the global awareness of our common European historical past and ensure relevant response to the attempts to revise it.

“We face new international challenges almost every day, which require a common European position, because only being united we are the strongest. It becomes obvious from the current debate. It is important that Europe expresses its single position on major foreign policy issues and upholds its values on the road of political unification”, Minister A.Ažubalis said.

The Foreign Affairs Council also discussed the recent parliamentary elections in Ukraine. Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that the elections have not helped to overcome certain crisis of trust in EU-Ukraine relations, although here are no grounds to question overall legitimacy of these elections. According to A.Ažubalis, there should not be any pauses in the relations: therefore the EU-Ukraine summit needs to take place as early as possible next year.

“We all wish to see Ukraine’s determination to follow the European path. At the same time deeper EU engagement is of crucial importance. It is not only Ukraine’s, but also our strong interest that they deliver.  Indication of a clear time perspective for a possible signature of the Association agreement and perhaps to start its provisional application by the time of Vilnius summit would create the strongest incentive for Ukraine to deliver”, Minister A. Ažubalis said.

Ministers discussed the situation in the Middle East and Palestine UN status upgrade. A. Ažubalis stressed that the peace agreement can only be achieved through direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and unilateral actions should be avoided. The conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council expressed serious concern about the situation in Gaza and Israel and urged to end the attacks immediately.

During discussions concerning the initiation of negotiations on the Cooperation Agreement with Cuba, Lithuanian Minister encouraged to comply with the Common Position adopted in 1996, which made the start of EU negotiations with Cuba conditional on its progress towards democracy.  According to A.Ažubalis, even though there are some economic changes, there is no prospect of major political reforms in the country. Furthermore, Cuba has not so far ratified two basic UN documents on Human Rights.

At the European Foreign and Defense Ministers’ meeting, A.Ažubalis emphasized that the heads of State and Government should have a strategic debate on the Union’s role as a security actor in the neighbourhood and globally, and on European level of ambition, as far as its resources are to be allocated. It should help defining EU responsibilities with key international security actors. Therefore, according to the Minister, the EU needs to take a fresh look at its neighbourhood, both Eastern and Southern. A discussion of the heads of State on the EU security is planned for December 2013, during Lithuania’s Presidency of the Council of the EU.