FM Paet will Discuss Situation in Georgia at EU Foreign Ministers Meeting
19.11.2007
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet will participate in a session of the European Union General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Brussels from 19-20 November.
In the general affairs session, the foreign ministers will discuss the EU’s maritime policy, preparations for the European Council being held on 13-14 December, and the European Commission’s work programme for 2008.
In the external relations session, discussions will centre on preparations for the EU-China, EU-India and EU-Africa summits, relations with the Western Balkan countries, and the situations in the Middle East, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Chad and Georgia.
According to Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, the European Union must continue to support Georgia’s reform endeavours. “Georgia is an active European Neighbourhood Policy partner, and it has achieved remarkable results in political and economic reforms,” said Paet. The foreign minister added that the European Union should begin visa facilitation negotiations with Georgia as soon as possible. Also, the EU must intensify its efforts to resolve frozen conflicts in the region. “This is necessary in order to avoid, in the future, the provocations that occur as a result of frozen conflicts,” said Paet.
In speaking about the situation in the Western Balkans, Foreign Minister Paet considers it essential that authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina continue their efforts for police reform. “The progress of those reforms is one of the necessary conditions for signing a stabilisation and association agreement,” said Paet. In talking about Kosovo, Foreign Minister Paet emphasizes that it is necessary to find a quick solution to the current problem in the area, for the sake of security in that region as well as in all of Europe.
Development and defence ministers will be included in the external relations session where dispatching missions to Chad and the Darfur region of Sudan, and the EU’s common security and defence policy will be reviewed. With the development ministers, the signing of European economic partnership agreements with developing nations, the intensity of the EU’s foreign activity, and security questions tied to development co-operation will be discussed.
