Brussels, 03/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - In a joint statement, foreign affairs ministers from the Baltic and Nordic countries (Carl Bildt from Sweden, Villy Sovndal from Denmark, Urmas Paet from Estonia, Erkki Tuomioja from Finland, Edgars Rinkevics from Latvia, Linas Linkevicius from Lithuania, Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson from Iceland, and Espen Barth Eide from Norway) have described as “unacceptable (…) any economic threat or political pressure” directed against the Eastern Partnership countries “because of their European aspirations and engagement with the EU”. “They have the right to choose themselves what is best for their future”, the ministers added.
The foreign ministers also expressed their “full support” for the signing of the EU-Ukraine association agreement, including a free-trade area, at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius at the end of November - “provided that Ukraine demonstrates tangible progress in the three key areas set out in the EU Council conclusions” of December 2012. The ministers also said they were “looking forward” to the initialling of the association agreements with Moldova, Georgia and Armenia at the summit, and to their signatures “at the earliest possible opportunity in 2014”, when the conditions are met. (CG/transl.fl)