Leaders of the participating nations in the Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels on Nov. 24
BRUSSELS—At the conclusion of the European Union’s Eastern Partnership Summit on Friday, the heads of state or government representatives of participating countries signed a joint declaration. The summit was attended by representatives of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, as well as the representatives of the European Union and its member states.
Armenia was represented by President Serzh Sarkisian and Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, who signed the Armenia-European Union Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on the sidelines of the Eastern Partnership Summit.
In the joint declaration, the participants of the Summit reconfirm the high importance they attach to the Eastern Partnership as a specific dimension of the European Neighborhood Policy. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to this strategic and ambitious Partnership, based on common values, mutual interests and understanding, shared ownership and responsibility, differentiation, mutual accountability, which brings the Eastern European partner countries closer to the European Union. Sustained and effective reform progress is key to the continued success of the Eastern Partnership.
The Summit participants recommited themselves to strengthening democracy, rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, as well as principles and norms of international law, which are at the heart of the Eastern Partnership. The European Union remains committed in its support to the territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty of all its partners.
“Full commitment, respect for and adherence to the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter, the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and the 1990 OSCE Charter of Paris are fundamental to our shared vision for a peaceful and undivided Europe. The Summit participants reconfirm elements and principles embodied in past Eastern Partnership Summit Declarations and underline their firm intention to carry forward the commitments taken at previous Summits and in bilateral agreements,” the Declaration states.
According to the Declaration, “The Summit participants welcome the signing of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the European Union and Armenia in the margins of the Summit. The participants welcome good progress in the ongoing negotiations between the European Union and Azerbaijan for a new framework agreement. They appreciate that the EU’s critical engagement with Belarus has become more comprehensive, including within the EU-Belarus Coordination Group, the Human Rights Dialogue and the Dialogue on Trade.”