EU APPROVED EASTERN PARTNERSHIP

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.03.2009 00:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ European Union leaders endorsed a new "Eastern
Partnership" that will allow the bloc to boost its aid to six former
Soviet states by 600 million euros (814 million dollars), EU business
reports.

"Our dream has come true, we have been able to adopt the Eastern
Partnership," said Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose
country currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency. "There were
different views but we managed to strike an agreement that’s a great
victory, not just for the countries concerned, but in particular for
the EU itself," he told reporters after a summit in Brussels.

The partnership is aimed at boosting democratic reform and the
economies of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and
Ukraine. Its official launch is set for May 7, although doubts remain
about Belarus’ involvement.

The project has been one of the cornerstone’s of the Czech Republic’s
six-month presidency, and has had the strong backing of Poland
and Sweden.

"We got the 600 million euros!" said Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw
Sikorski, who has long sought that sum, claiming it was the "absolute
minimum" for the EU to help stabilize these states hit hard by the
economic crisis.

France has been reluctant to approve such a budget, out of concern
it might undermine support for Mediterranean nations that Paris favors.

But doubts remain about whether Lukashenko will be invited to a May
summit in Prague, when the six countries are expected to attend the
inauguration of the eastern partnership.

"That will depend on the behavior of Mr Lukashenko and the Belarus
government in the coming weeks, but Belarus should be in the Eastern
Partership," Schwarzenberg said.