PanARMENIAN.Net
Lithuania welcomes EC determination to strengthen relations with ENP countries
05.04.2008 13:43 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On 2 April European Commission issued a
Communication to the Parliament and the Council `Implementation of the
European Neighborhood Policy in 2007′ and published progress reports
concerning the reforms implemented by the states participating in the
European Union’s Neighborhood Policy – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt,
Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Moldova, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and
Ukraine.
Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes European Commission’s
determination to continue cooperation based on close mutual relations
with the countries which had expressed their willingness and have
necessary capabilities.
This European Commission’s Communication perfectly reflects Lithuanian
intention to support further strengthening of relations between
Ukraine, Moldova, states of the Southern Caucasus and the European
Union, the Ministry said in a publication posted on its website.
`It is very important to evaluate properly the progress of the eastern
EU neighbors in implementation of the Neighborhood Action Plan in the
future also. In their turn these countries should continue to
implement internal reforms and strengthen bilateral relations with the
EU,’ Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekunas said.
In the document adopted by the European Commission the progress of the
partner states in such spheres as political cooperation, economy,
migration, energy, transport, scientific research, mobility of
students and young people is reviewed. The Commission drew attention
to existing problems especially in the areas of corruption, protection
of human rights and independence of the judiciary.
It is marked in the Commission’s report that four countries, Ukraine
and Moldova among them, made remarkable progress in implementation of
reforms provided in the action plans. Moldova actively carries out its
commitments and shows strong political will to continue the work
started. It is marked in the Communication that taking into
consideration the conclusions of the Council of February 2008 the EU
is ready to start negotiations on the new Enhanced Agreement with
Moldova. In development of relations between the EU and Ukraine the
Commission plans to continue the launched negotiations on the new
Enhanced Agreement which includes closer free trade cooperation.