Brussels, 21/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - The EU should offer a “third way”, something between accession and the European neighbourhood policy (ENP), to neighbouring countries in Europe which have European aspirations, says MEP Ingo Friedrich (EPP-ED, Germany). Using the “Union for the Mediterranean” (UfM), which is to be officially launched in Paris on 13 July, as an example, the EU should now create a “Union for Eastern Europe” covering Ukraine, Moldova and Southern Caucasus countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia). These countries all want one day to become members of the EU. For the moment, however, they are part of the ENP which gives them no prospect of accession. Friedrich says a Union for Eastern Europe would provide a sort of “cordon sanitaire” within which the five countries could move closer to Europe “over the next 20 years”, without requiring the EU to address the issue of future accession immediately. (H.B.)