FM Paet: It is essential to move forward with both visa facilitation and free trade agreement negotiations with Georgia

10.03.2008

Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet participated in a session of the European Union General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Brussels on Monday, 10 March. The main topic of the external relations session was the situation in Georgia prior to the parliamentary elections. The main item of discussion in the general affairs portion was preparations for the spring European Council.

The foreign policy leaders of the European Union agreed that it is necessary to provide multi-faceted aid to help Georgia strengthen its democratic institutions. "Georgia's central electoral commission needs support so that the parliamentary elections in May will be free and fair," said Foreign Minister Paet. Foreign Minister Paet also mentioned that Georgian opposition leaders are on a visit in Estonia at the moment, becoming acquainted with the work of Estonia's electoral commission and independent media. "Estonia has also sent its experts to Georgia for consulting with the central electoral commission and the public TV-radio company," he added.

According to the Estonian foreign minister, the European Union and Georgia must begin a dialogue regarding migration and visa facilitation very soon. "It is essential to move forward as fast as possible with both visa facilitation and free trade agreement negotiations," Paet said. Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that Estonia believes it is extremely important to increase the European Union's influence in regulating the conflict between Abkhazia and South Ossetia. "The proposals by EU Special Envoy Peter Semneby for creating trust between the two sides must be put into practice more strongly, in order to encourage dialogue between the conflicting areas and the rest of Georgia," Paet elaborated. The foreign ministers agreed that the latest developments in Azerbaijan and Armenia and the overall situation in South Caucasus demand more attention from the European Union.

In the general affairs session, the focus was mainly on preparations for the European Council taking place at the end of this week. According to Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, the Council's main goal is to agree on the basic principles and further direction of the climate action and renewable energy package. "The Council also plans to discuss the effect of climate change on international security," Foreign Minister Paet noted. "The measures taken up to combat climate change must take into consideration the energy security of member states," he added.

More information:
Marika Post, Press Spokesperson,
Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU
+32 474 98 16 57