Brussels, 19/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 18 November, the EU and Georgia stated their ambition, during their 13th Cooperation Council, to close the negotiations on the association agreement, with a deep and comprehensive free trade area by the time of the Eastern Partnership summit in November 2013. “We looked ahead to next year's Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius. We have a very busy schedule ahead of us, but things are on track to deliver some real progress in EU-Georgia relations in time for this major date on our calendar”, European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle said, adding however, that more time will be needed for the legal checks with the signing of the agreement. Füle also spoke of the progress on visa liberalisation.
Hailing the conduct of the parliamentary elections on 1 October, the EU said that it was looking forward to further consolidation and development of democracy ahead of the presidential elections of 2013, “including through constructive cohabitation between the prime minister and president”. The EU also called on Tbilisi to continue its reforms and recalled the importance of political pluralism, media freedom and an independent judicial system. The Cypriot minister, Erato Kozakou Marcoullis, underlined the importance of ensuring that criminal prosecutions were conducted in a transparent and fair way, without political motivation. Penal reform must be a priority issue, requiring urgent action and sustained attention, the European side added.
The EU and Georgia also discussed progress in the resolution of conflicts in Georgia with Russia, including the first direct talks between Tbilisi and Moscow since the conflict in 2008. The EU reaffirmed its commitment to conflict resolution efforts, including through its co-chairmanship of the international talks in Geneva and its monitoring mission in Georgia. (CG/transl.fl)