EU foreign ministers to extend "neighborhood policy" to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia

At their Monday session in Luxembourg foreign ministers of the 25 EU member states decided to extend the "European neighborhood policy" to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

These countries will be given equal opportunities to develop relationship with the European Union, including via joint plans of action, read the session's materials released by the main secretariat of the EU Council.

The EU General Affairs and External Relations Council at its session also pointed to the need to complete work on draft plans of action with the states already included in the policy, that is, Ukraine, Moldova, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

Besides, the Council confirmed the EU's readiness to build partnership relations with Libya.

As to Moldova, the foreign ministers spoke in favor of accelerating political settlement of the Trans-Dniestria conflict, confirming that the EU was determined to cooperate with Russia and Ukraine to help resolve it.

They also expressed their anxiety concerning "insufficient progress" in the process of Russian arms withdrawal from Trans-Dniestria. The Council urged the region's authorities not to hinder the withdrawal.

Apart from this, the ministers stated that the EU was interested in building partnership relations with Belarus.

However, the republic may be included in the neighborhood policy only after it elects a truly democratic government, it was emphasized.

The Council also confirmed its readiness to assist Belarus in overcoming the consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe, as well as in education, healthcare, environment protection, trans-border and regional cooperation and development of independent mass media.