Barroso: Eastern Partnership summit historical moment

Source: Xinhua | 05-08-2009 09:38

PRAGUE, May 7 (Xinhua) -- The Eastern Partnership summit "is a new start" and historical moment for multilateral and bilateral relations between the European Union and the six former Soviet republics, European Commission President Jase Manual Barroso said here on Thursday.

Barroso made the remarks at a press conference after the four-hour summit ended, saying that the partnership was to boost regional cooperation "based on common interests and values."

The 27-nation EU launched at the summit the Eastern Partnership to boost ties with its eastern neighbors, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Under the framework of the EU's European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), the Eastern Partnership was initiated by Poland and Sweden last year and aimed at stabilizing its eastern borders and achieving energy security.

Barroso said that the partnership will cover cooperation "in all areas including free trade" and gradual facilitation of visa.

He called on all partner countries to fully commit to the joint declaration signed during the summit to achieve social safety and prosperity in the region.

He said that the mobility of people or facilitation of visa for citizens of the six countries was "a long-term goal" of the EU, meaning that in the near future citizens from these former Soviet republics can not enjoy visa-free regime when they travel in the EU.

On the same occasion, EU's top diplomat Javior Solana said that the partnership was a "very difficult task," considering the number of the countries and the differences of them.

Both Barroso and Solana said that the Eastern Partnership was not against anybody.

"This is not against Russia," noted Solana, saying EU leaders repeatedly told Russian leaders that the EU values good relations with Russia.

Moscow was irked by the Eastern Partnership the EU forged with its "sphere of influence."

Editor:Zhang Yun