EASTERN PARTNERSHIP DECLARATION SIGNED IN PRAGUE

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.05.2009 12:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Heads of State or Government and representatives
of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the
Republic of Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine,
the representatives of the European Union and the Heads of State
or Government and representatives of its Member States have met in
Prague to bring their relationship to a new level by establishing
the Eastern Partnership and have adopted a Joint Declaration on May 7.

It says that the Eastern Partnership is launched as a common
endeavor of the Member States of the European Union and their Eastern
European Partners (hereinafter the partner countries), founded on
mutual interests and commitments as well as on shared ownership and
responsibility. It will be developed jointly, in a fully transparent
manner.

The main goal of the Eastern Partnership is to create the necessary
conditions to accelerate political association and further economic
integration between the European Union and interested partner
countries. The significant strengthening of EU policy with regard to
the partner countries will be brought about through the development of
a specific Eastern dimension of the European Neighborhood Policy. With
this aim, the Eastern Partnership will seek to support political
and socio-economic reforms of the partner countries, facilitating
approximation towards the European Union. This serves the shared
commitment to stability, security and prosperity of the European Union,
the partner countries and indeed the entire European continent.

European Commission President Jose Barroso described the Eastern
Partnership as a political initiative serving the European Union
strategic interests.

Much should be done and in some countries should be done more than in
others, Barroso said, adding that coming closer to European standards
would bring these countries greater stability and prosperity.

EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier
Solana said several times at the press conference that the Partnership
project was not aimed against anyone.

It is the Partnership for cooperation and stability in the important
part of Europe, Solana said.