At the meeting of ministers of foreign affairs of “Eastern partnership” member-states Sergei Martynov underlined the significance of this program for regional cooperation

On December, 8, 2009 Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Martynov took part in the meeting of ministers of foreign affairs of EU initiative “Eastern partnership” member-states in Brussels.

On December, 8, 2009 Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Martynov took part in the meeting of ministers of foreign affairs of EU initiative “Eastern partnership” member-states in Brussels.

This meeting of ministers was the first of its kind regarding its membership since “Eastern partnership” has been established. It was created at the summit in Prague (Check Republic) in spring of current year by 27 countries of European Union and six partner-states: Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

The discussion of ministers was dedicated to the assessment of what has been achieved from the moment when the partnership progress was launched and to the definition of its perspectives and priorities in the initiative implementation for the year 2010.

The head of Belarusian foreign department underlined in his speech the significance of “Eastern partnership” initiative for regional cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe.

Segei Martynov called upon the European Union to focus its efforts on the activities aimed at specific projects correlated with the interests of member-states. Belarusian delegation offered EU to define procedures of consideration and approval of projects within the scopes of Partnership as well as to speed up the process of involvement of international and European financial establishments in their implementation. Belarusian minister and his colleagues from Lithuania and Ukraine submitted to European commission the coordinated set of projects available for implementation within the scopes of activities of Eastern partnership.

Representatives from EU states, European commission, EU Council, European Parliament and other EU institutes heard out the specific proposals of Belarus on possible short term steps of European Union towards more efficient implementation of Eastern Partnership potential regarding Belarus. The proposals deal first of all with availability of Belarusian goods at EU market and the removal of protection measures.

At the same time Belarusian minister expressed the hope that the problem of discrimination of Belarusian citizens from EU regarding visa issues will be solved in the nearest future. Sergei Martynov called to mandatory observance of Paris declaration of Eastern partnership, in particular the principles of common conduct, transparency, responsibility and mutual respect. It was underlined that only strict maintenance of these principles in particular in such Partnership format as Forum of civil society and its parliament unit Euronest can make the initiative strategically efficient undertaking.

The head of Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also conducted bilateral meetings with ministers of foreign affairs of Germany and Poland. Working contacts with colleagues from Eastern partnership member-states and a number of EU states also took place.