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On 13 September at the European Union’s (EU) General Affairs Council in Brussels, the EU foreign ministers discussed draft conclusions for the European Council meeting to be held later this week. The European Council will focus on relations with the EU’s strategic partners and will discuss the strengthening of economic policy coordination among the EU’s member states.

Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis agreed that the EU’s relations with strategic partners had to be further strengthened. The Minister emphasized the need to develop Europe’s Neighborhood Policy.

“Our ability to address the challenges of the Eastern Neighborhood will influence the EU’s reliability in international politics,” head of Lithuania’s diplomacy said.

When speaking about the EU’s relations with Ukraine, the Minister stressed that in preparing for the upcoming EU-Ukraine summit, it was necessary to dedicate just as much attention to this summit as to other EU’s summits with strategic partners.

“During the forthcoming EU-Ukraine summit, it is important to make progress in the negotiations on an Association Agreement, visa-free regime and energy cooperation issues,” Minister A.Ažubalis said.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs also reminded the participants that during the European Council in February 2011 there would be a good opportunity to discuss the EU energy cooperation with all the partners in detail.

Lithuania also approved of the initiatives to strengthen the EU’s economic policy coordination.

“The EU’s influence directly depends on our unity. Therefore, better coordination of economic policy will strengthen the EU’s position on the global arena,” the Minister said.

Minister A.Ažubalis drew attention to the fact that proposals on the EU’s economic governance should not increase the gap between the euro zone countries and the countries outside it.