FOREIGN MINISTER URGES TO FACILITATE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE EU AND EASTERN PARTNERSHIP COUNTRIES NEXT YEAR
At the meeting of the European Union member states and Eastern Partnership countries on 13 December in Brussels, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis highlighted the need to promote mobility and people-to-people contacts, the necessity to facilitate visa regime for partner countries, to develop commercial relations and to resolve protracted conflicts in the Eastern Partnership countries.
“I hope that next year will be the year of mobility. We already have a visa-free regime action plan for Ukraine and we hope to draft a similar plan for Moldova soon. Visa facilitation and readmission agreements with Georgia will enter into force early next year. I hope that negotiations will soon begin on such agreements with Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan,” the Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs said.Minister A.Ažubalis also welcomed the Commission’s intentions to submit plans for the expansion of projects, financed by the Trans-European Transport Network, to EU’s Eastern neighbours before the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in Budapest, in May 2011.
Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs called on the EU to help its Eastern partners prepare for the negotiations on deep and comprehensive free trade agreements. The Minister called on partners in Eastern Europe to demonstrate their courage in implementing the necessary reforms and cherishing common European values.
The Minister invited Eastern Partnership countries to strengthen their mutual cooperation through submitting joint initiatives to the EU. Minister A.Ažubalis and Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergei Martynov noted that more progress was needed in implementing the projects that were jointly submitted by Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania this autumn. These projects deal with border management, energy, transport and other areas.
The Minister stressed the importance of ensuring security in the region, as the security of entire Europe depends upon it. “The Eastern Partnership initiative should contribute to the resolution of protracted conflicts in the region,” Minister A.Ažubalis said.
On 13-14 December in Brussels, the Minister is participating in the meetings of the European Union’s General Affairs Council (GAC) and the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC). Besides, on 12 December Minister A.Ažubalis had a ministerial working dinner of the European People’s Party (EPP). In the morning of 13 December, the Minister held a meeting with European Commissioner for Taxation, Customs, Audit and Anti-fraud Algirdas Šemeta.
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