Brussels, 24/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - The principle of the Eastern Partnership with the six countries to the east of the EU (Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus) may have received wide support in Monday's External Relations Council (see EUROPE 9846), but several important technical details still have to be ironed out before the official launch, scheduled to take place in Prague on 7 May. The European Commission has proposed an overall budget of €600 million for the 2010-2013 period, which would require an additional €350 million to be found over and above the current European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) allocation. This extra money will have to be come from budget reserves, the Commission says. The other €250 million will come from the ENPI Eastern regional programme, this money simply being reprogrammed for the 2010-2013 period. In the Council on Monday, several countries, led by France, drew attention to the “two thirds, one third” rule, agreed when the 2007-2013 financial perspective was adopted. Under this rule, two thirds of the €11.8 billion from the ENPI would go to southern partners and one third to the east of Europe. If the EU were to decide to increase the allocation to the “east” by 350 million, as the Commission proposes, it would also have to find additional money for the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). “What is important to us is that we stick to the two thirds for the South and one third for the East,” a French diplomat said. The budget debate will be engaged in the coming days and weeks in the Coreper and then the Council, but it should not prevent approval of the Eastern Partnership by the European Council of 19-20 March or its official launch in May. Speaking to press after the Council meeting on Monday, Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said she was optimistic that the €600 million proposed would be approved by the Council.
Belarus. EU High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana briefed ministers about this recent visit to Minsk (see EUROPE 9842). He said that the Belarusian authorities had made some progress on democracy, but that these would have to be followed up with other “substantial gestures” on fundamental freedoms and human rights if Belarus wanted to be part of the Eastern Partnership and be invited to the 7 May summit in Prague. The Council shared this view: it is important to maintain the dynamic in the policy of rapprochement vis-à-vis Minsk without any cutting of corners. It would be for the Czech Presidency to decide whether to invite President Lukashenko or not. On Monday, Council chairman Karel Schwarzenberg warned Belarus against recognising South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which would make its inclusion in the Eastern Partnership “very, very difficult” (see EUROPE 9846).
Russia, Turkey. The Council also discussed the possibility of participation for some third countries, such as Russia and Turkey, in certain specific projects or cooperation within the framework of the Eastern Partnership, particularly its multilateral chapter. Ministers were in broad agreement that such participation would have to be assessed and approved on a case-by-case basis. “Everyone agreed that case-by-case, depending on the issues, we could offer Russia and Turkey the opportunity to enter into discussion with us,” French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner told press. He said it was important not to repeat “what has already happened to a certain extent with NATO, that is, to give Russia the impression that it was completely surrounded”. Solana told press that “the possibility remains open for meetings with Russia and Turkey” within the framework of the Eastern Partnership (this idea was discussed at the EU troika meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on 11 February). Schwarzenberg went even further. The Czech Presidency is perfectly happy for Turkey, Russia, “and even Japan, China and the United States” to take part in certain projects if they want. The Eastern Partnership is “totally open,” he said. (H.B./transl.rt)