BRATISLAVA, March 1, (WEBNOVINY) – EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule and German Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle are planning to visit Bratislava. This Thursday, an extended ministerial conference of the Visegrad Group with the Eastern Partnership countries will take place in Bratislava. The event takes place within the framework of Slovak Visegrad Group Presidency. The Czech and Hungarian foreign ministers and the Polish state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will represent the Visegrad countries. Of the Eastern Partnership countries, the Armenian, Ukrainian and Georgian foreign ministers, as well as the Moldovan minister of foreign affairs and European integration have confirmed their participation. Belarus will be represented by its deputy foreign minister.
“The goal of this meeting is to send a strong political signal of the Visegrad Group countries‘ support for Eastern Partnership policy, so that it may foster the political and economic stabilization of the partner states effectively,” commented the Slovak Foreign Ministry. The main topic will be evaluating the recent state of Eastern Partnership policy. The discussion will focus on adhering to the basic principles and respecting the values on which the Eastern Policy is built, and which are a requirement of strengthening the cooperation of EU countries with individual Eastern Partnership states. It is expected that the partner states will present their concepts and ambitions on closer political cooperation and economic integration with the EU.
Slovak Foreign Minister Mikulas Dzurinda will hold bilateral meetings with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and with representatives of several Eastern Partnership states.
SITA