The European Union is committed to promoting cooperation with the Member States of the European Eastern Partnership Program, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton said on Thursday in Bratislava.
Ashton made such a statement following an extended meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Visegrad Four (the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia) with the representatives of the Eastern Partnership , RIA Novosti reported.
The talks were also attended by European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule, and German Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
Slovakia was represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Mikulas Dzurinda, Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi, and Polish Secretary of Foreign Ministry Nicholas Dovgelevich. The foreign ministers of Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, as well as the deputy foreign minister of Belarus, also arrived in Bratislava.
Ashton stressed that it is necessary "to intensify cooperation between the EU and these countries and support their integration ambitions and economic reforms." "A concrete action plan will strengthen the connection between us – the countries of the Eastern Partnership and the EU,” she added.
She noted that it has become clear that the Eastern Partnership Project was the "best form of cooperation at both the governmental and non-governmental levels, as well as in business."
Ashton said the EU will further continue to work with non-governmental organisations in the countries of Eastern Partnership so that a civil society has a strong voice.
