At a meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU and Eastern Partnership countries held in the framework of the summit on Friday, Mikser said that Europe is full of the will to further develop the Eastern Partnership and realize planned activities, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release.

"The Eastern Partnership summit was very successful," Mikser said. "There was a consensus concerning the strategic goals of the partnership, which include welfare, stability and security in all of Europe."

Mikser expressed pleasure over the fact that a joint declaration along with 20 concrete goals was adopted at the summit on how to strengthen the economy, associations, good governance and interpersonal relations of the Eastern Partnership countries by 2020.

The foreign minister reaffirmed that Estonia has operated actively on the direction of the Eastern Partners and will continue to do so after the conclusion of the Estonian presidency of the Council of the EU as well.

"It is important that the Eastern Partners experience the EU's consistent political and financial support of their reforms, through which the actual approaching of the EU happens," Mikser said. "Estonia's own projects in these countries support the wider aims of the Eastern Partnership." The minister also emphasized the need to improve the dissemination of information on the EU's support of its partners as well as promote independent journalism.

"I am glad that the realization of the Eastern Partnership policy during our presidency was the joint effort of the whole government, civil society as well as business circles," Mikser concluded. "This shows that it is precisely with the cooperation of different fields of life that the goals of the Eastern Partnership are achievable."

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Click here (link to PDF) to read the full text of the Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit signed in Brussels on Friday, Nov. 24.