HINTS OF THE EAST IN THE EUROPEAN UN

The meeting of the foreign ministers of the 28 EU countries and 6 member countries of the Eastern Partnership programme, which took place last week in Brussels, was dedicated to preparations for the Vilnius summit to be held in November. During the meeting, Moldova, Georgia and Armenia concluded negotiations on association and will sign agreements with the EU at the November summit.

The special envoy of the Foreign Ministry of Lithuania for the Eastern Partnership programme, Vaidotas Verba, told R+ about the details of the meeting, as well as the plans of Lithuania, which holds the presidency of the EU from 1 July, to develop Eastern Partnership.

- From 1 July of this year, Lithuania is going preside over the Europian Union for next 6 months. During these 6 months what other projects is Lithuania  going to relalize other than those done by its previous predecessors?

- The aim of each of the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU is the continuous fulfilment of the EU policy priorities. Lithuania's presidency is not an exception. Therefore, for the next six months Lithuania will focus on the promotion of economic growth and competitiveness, reducing unemployment and ensuring financial stability and energy security.

Eastern Partnership is one of Lithuania's priorities for the EU presidency. The willingness to strengthen cooperation with Europe's neighbouring countries on the East (Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan), support their reforms and bring them closer to the EU is our common interest. Eastern Partnership is currently the most effective and almost the only instrument to achieve this objective.

Among Lithuania's priorities for the presidency also are strengthening of EU's external borders and effective implementation of the EU strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.

- At the summit of the European Union which will take part in Vilnius this November the Eastern Partnership process will be discussed. What Eastern Partnership countries including Azerbaijan can expect from that summit? What innovations are likely to happen?

- It is expected, that by the time of, or in the margins of the 3rd Eastern Partnership Summit which will be hosted in Vilnius on 28-29 November 2013, some tangible results will be achieved. Hopefully, the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement will be signed, including its DCFTA part, respective agreements with Moldova, Georgia and Armenia should also be initialed and progress in negotiations on Association Agreement with Azerbaijan should be reached. We would also expect progress in visa liberalization and facilitation processes, based on implementation by partner countries of concrete measures required.

The multilateral dimension of the Eastern Partnership simultaneously needs to be strengthened by increasing the interaction of the EU and partner countries both on expert and ministerial levels. Therefore, we intend to launch sector ministerial Eastern Partnership meetings during our presidency, starting with Transport and Justice and Home Affairs.

- Some experts suggest that the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict should be handed over to the EU. Can the EU solve a problem that the OSCE Minsk Group has been unable to resolve for 20 years already?

- We believe that increased engagement of the EU with South Caucasus countries makes a positive impact on the reform and democratization processes in the region. At the same time, EU involvement opens new avenues and opportunities for the resolution of conflicts. EU engagement in the search for the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict resolution through the increased use of confidence building measures can make a positive contribution in building trust on the communities' level.

It is clear that conflicts hamper the development of the South Caucasus. Security and stability in the region is a serious issue as it interferes with other cooperation areas that EU is interested in developing with the South Caucasus countries. The status quo in Nagornyy Karabakh is unsustainable, EU hopes that joint conflict resolution efforts will yield positive results.

- The executive director of the European Policy Centre, Hans Martens, spoke at a conference in Baku about the growth of unemployment and debts and the strengthening of nationalist views (you also attended the same event). Can the EU cope with these problems?

- The financial and economic crisis has demonstrated a negative effect in the fields of employment and social policy. High unemployment and growing social exlusion as well as related issues revealed the importance and relevance of the social dimension of the Economic and Monetary Union. Lithuania continues the discussions opened during the Irish presidency on the issue, and has already organized informal discussions within the Council.

In order to combat unemployment, especially youth unemployment, and make the European Economic and social model more solid, Europe needs to focus on further deepening of its integration and strengthening of the single market.

- We would like to know your opinion about the euro zone. Is the collapse of the euro possible? Or does the euro zone save Europe from the economic crisis?

- The economic and financial crisis has revealed the weak aspects of the functioning of the Economic and Monetary Union; correspondingly, a number of decisions have been taken to strengthen the Economic and Monetary Union in order to avoid or at least reduce possible future threats. Further strengthening of the Economic and Monetary Union will be an important priority for the Lithuanian presidency as well. All EU member states are highly interested in ensuring financial stability of the euro zone.