Paet Pushes for More Attention to Southern Caucasus
Foreign Minister Urmas Paet has urged the EU's Eastern Partners on the independent side of the Caucasus to step up European integration efforts.
"The more countries make that choice, the more it is in the European Union's interests," said Paet at the meeting of foreign ministers of the EU in Brussels on February 27.
Among the countries in the southern Caucasus, Georgia is in the vanguard and and requires continued support and attention from the EU to realize its ambition, he said. "We hope that the European Union will soon welcome their European perspective,“ he said.
Paet said the Eastern Partnership has contributed to closer political and economic ties with the countries of the region. "The longstanding conflicts that curtail the region's development need continued attention from the European Union," he added.
Association agreement talks have gone successfully with Armenia and Gerogia and visa simplification and readmission agreements will begin to be negotiated with Armenia and Azerbaijan. It has been decided to open trade agreement negotiations with Georgia and Armenia, while a "visa dialogue" is ongoing with Georgia, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
As to the now frozen conflict between Georgia and Russia, Paet said, "the EU's observation mission fills a very important role in ensuring security and thus it is important that the mission not weaken and maintain 200 observers."
Kristopher Rikken