EU believes that Georgia fully deserves its place at the forefront of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) and calls on the country to carefully pay attention to defending political pluralism and media freedom, as the hallmarks of a healthy democracy, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevi?ius said, after the annual 14th EU-Georgia Cooperation Council meeting in Brussels on December 12.
The 14th EU-Georgia Cooperation Council was chaired by Foreign Ministry of Georgia Maia Panjikidze, who holds the Cooperation Councils rotating chairmanship this year. The Georgian delegation also included State Minister for Integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures Alexi Petriashvili. On behalf on the EU side, Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton and European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule were present.
Linkevi?ius proclaimed the progress since the previous Cooperation Council meeting a year ago as very "steady and significant.
The two sides discussed recent developments in conflict resolution within Georgia. Linkevi?ius reconfirmed his support for Georgias territorial integrity and its commitment to conflict resolution efforts in Georgia, including through its co-chairmanship of the Geneva International Talks and through the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia.
Asked about Russias "pressure on its neighbors, Linkevi?ius, who after the press conference left for Kiev, said that its "unacceptable.
"I would like to express the concern about the Russias actions towards the EaP countries and plan to discuss these kinds of issues at the meeting with the Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on December 16, Linkevi?ius said and added that "the way our partners choose is not just respected, but sometimes should be respected.
Panjikidze believes that EU will support the Georgian integration into the EU.
"Linkevi?ius will highlight the massage, at the meeting with Lavrov on Monday, that EaP is not the program that was established against Russia and that each country has the sovereign right to choose the relations that they will have for the countrys interests, Panjikidze said.
At the joint conference, Linkevi?ius was asked what are the main challenges Georgia faces on its path for association with the EU.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister responded that it was very important to focus on how to withstand this pressure.
"Its also effective governance; also fulfillment of what we have just agreed to prepare the Association Agreement and a Deep and Comprehensive free for signing and the good progress being made in negotiations for them. We have some time, but not much time, the Lithuanian FM said.
Georgias State Minister for Integration into European and Euro-Atlantic structures said that Russia will continue its pressure in the nearest year before Georgia signs the Association Agreement (AA) with the EU.
"This pressure could be found in imposing the embargo on the Georgian agriculture products by the Russian side and even deteriorating the situation in the boundary lines of the breakaway regions of Georgia, Petriashvili said and added that both Georgia and EU have steadily decided to sign the AA with EU.
The two sides also discussed recent developments in conflict resolution in Georgia. The EU welcomed the first direct talks between Georgia and the Russian Federation since 2008.
The EU also welcomed the fact that Georgia has signaled its intention to adopt a flexible approach towards engagement with the breakaway regions. The EU signaled its concern for moves to install obstacles and for free movement across the Administrative Boundary Line with the breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The EU congratulated the Georgian side on the continuing consolidation of Georgian democracy as represented by the recent presidential election, and looked forward to the continuation of this positive trend during the 2014 local elections.
Linkevi?ius once more repeated that in a very short period of time, Georgia has made "a very good progress in implementing its visa liberalization action plan.
A protocol on Georgia's involvement in EU programs
In the framework of the Cooperation Council, Georgian and Lithuanian Foreign Ministers also signed a protocol on Georgia's involvement in EU programs in Brussels.
Signing of the protocol is another significant step towards rapprochement with the EU, Panjikidze said.
According to Linkevi?ius, the EU offered Georgia programs in the fields of public health, culture, scientific research, and in support of small and medium enterprises.
"We have never before offered so many programs to the countries covered by the European Neighborhood Policy, Linkevi?ius noted.