Press Release: Eastern Partnership Summit Warsaw, 29 and 30 September 2011

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details IP/11/1122 (28.9.11)
Publication Date 28/09/2011
Content Type

Delegations of 32 EU Member States and partner countries as well as representatives of the main European Union institutions debated for two days on the future of the Eastern Partnership in Warsaw, 29-30 September 2011, and reviewed its achievements since it was launched in 2009, The Eastern Partnership is a Polish-Swedish initiative to bring ex-Soviet states closer to EU structures.

The Warsaw meeting concluded with the adoption of a joint declaration, which sent a signal to the six partners (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine) that the European Union was willing to assist them and talk about their European aspirations and forms of tighter integration.

However, the ex-Soviet states which attended refused to sign the declaration, following the criticism of the human rights record of the regime of Belarus president, Alexander Lukashenko.

The EU also expressed concerns about the Tymoshenko trial in Ukraine. Assistance to Belarus would be possible only on condition of fundamental changes in that country. ‘A full amnesty and rehabilitation of persons arrested after the elections, opening of talks with the opposition and holding of parliamentary elections congruent with OSCE standards - these are the conditions for launching a 'modernisation package for Belarus'. The Belarus delegation kept away from the meeting.

The ongoing negotiations with Ukraine on an association agreement and a DCFTA agreement should be wrapped up by the end of 2011 and similar negotiations should be started with Moldova and Georgia. The Partnership countries were promised visa-free travel to the EU, as soon as they were ready.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/1122&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Related Links
ESO: Background Information: Press Release: The Commission makes headway in its cooperation in the area of Justice and Home Affairs within the Eastern Partnership http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-the-commission-makes-headway-in-its-cooperation-in-the-area-of-justice-and-home-affairs-within-the-eastern-partnership/
European Investment Bank: BEI/11/139: At Warsaw Eastern Partnership Summit, Poland Announces Contribution to Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=BEI/11/139&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
European Commission: Speech/11/622: Statement by President Barroso following the Eastern Partnership Summit http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/622&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
EurActiv, 3.10.11: Diplomatic fiasco mars Warsaw summit http://www.euractiv.com/europes-east/diplomatic-fiasco-mars-warsaw-su-news-508077
European Commission: Speech/11/619: Štefan Füle: Speech at the Eastern Partnership Conference Towards a European Community of Democracy, Prosperity and a Stronger Civil Society http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/619&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
ESO: Background information: Belarus quits EU's Eastern Partnership initiative http://www.europeansources.info/record/belarus-quits-eus-eastern-partnership-initiative/
Poland: EU Presidency: Press Release, 30.9.11: Eastern Partnership Summit ends in Warsaw http://pl2011.eu/en/content/eastern-partnership-summit-ends-warsaw
Poland: EU Presidency: Press Release, 30.9.11: Joint Declaration of the Warsaw Eastern Partnership Summit http://pl2011.eu/en/content/joint-declaration-warsaw-eastern-partnership-summit
Polskie Radio, 1.10.11: No agreement on Belarus at Warsaw EU summit http://www.thenews.pl/1/2/Artykul/56091,No-agreement-on-Belarus-at-Warsaw-EU-summit
PressEurop, 3.10.11: Summit fails to tackle big issues http://www.presseurop.eu//en/content/news-brief/1016181-summit-fails-tackle-big-issues
EUObserver, 29.9.11: Taking the Eastern Partnership further http://euobserver.com/24/113768
EUObserver, 5.10.11: EU foreign policy: More for more, or more of the same? http://euobserver.com/7/113818
Gazeta Wyborcza, 29.9.11: The East, not on the EU’s mind (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu//en/content/article/1005581-east-not-eu-s-mind
ESO: Background information: Poland urges Belarus transition talks http://www.europeansources.info/servlet/showDoc?ID=1162783
EUObserver, 22.9.11: Lukewarm declaration to mark EU summit in Warsaw http://euobserver.com/24/113696
Polskie Radio, 29.9.11: EU debates eastern neighbours in Warsaw http://www.thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/55965,EU-debates-eastern-neighbours-in-Warsaw

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