EU foreign ministers approved Eastern Partnership policy

EU foreign ministers approved Eastern Partnership program, offered by the European Commission.

As press service of the European Commission reports referring to Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner responsible for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, on December 8, ministers prepared a communiqué that will be submitted to approval for EU heads of state and government at Brussels summit on December 11-12.

As BelaPAN has reported, the European Commission offers six post-Soviet countries, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, to take part in the Eastern Partnership initiative. In particular, they were offered to sign Association Agreements and creation of the new European economic zone that should become a base for development of the common inner market.

The Eastern Partnership initiative is aimed at significant expansion of a package of possible offers to the six former Soviet countries. Visa-free travel and free trade network are also among the goals of the initiative.

Full participation of Belarus is open to question. A decision on Belarus will be taken in spring and will depend on democratic progress in the country.

The Belarusian officials expressed their positive attitude towards the new policy of the European Union.