Foreign Ministry Secretary of State Andris Teikmanis gratified at EU Baltic Sea Region Strategy, presented by EC, and support to extension of EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia [27 Jul 2009]

On 27 July in Brussels, Belgium, the Foreign Ministry Secretary of State, Andris Teikmanis, attended a meeting of the European Union (EU) General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC).

At the General Affairs session, Sweden presented the priorities of its Presidency – economy and employment, climate change, the Stockholm Programme for the judiciary and home affairs, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, the Eastern Partnership Initiative as well as the Lisbon Treaty and related institutional issues.

The European Commission (EC) in its turn acquainted the GAERC with the Communication concerning the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, tabled on10 July, and with the action plan for the Strategy. The EC pointed out that this is the first EU internal strategy for a European macro-region, based on an integrated long-term approach to the implemetation of the EU poicies in the Baltic Sea Region. The principal tasks of the Strategy are: to enable a sustainable environment; to enhance the region's prosperity; to increase accessibility and attractiveness; and to ensure safety and security in the region.

When taking part in the discussion, Mr Teikmanis expressed his satisfaction over the proposal of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region drafted by the EC and emphasized that it is essential for the Strategy to bear concrete results in future. As a top priority, Mr Teikmanis named energy issues, including the implementation of projects within the Baltic energy market interconnection plan. The EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and the Action Plan are expected to be approved by the European Council in October.

The GAERC also considered Iceland's EU membership application submitted on 16 July. Following the procedures under Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, the Council invited the European Commission to prepare an opinion on this EU membership application.

The External Relations session dealt with the topic of extending the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia and took a decision to prolong the mission's mandate for another 12 months, i.e. until 14 September 2010. After the non-extension of the mandates for the UN and OSCE missions in Georgia, the EU mission remains the only independent international observer in the country. The Council also repeatedly called on all the sides to fully honour commitments, including the withdrawal of all troops to the positions prior to the armed conflict. The Council also reminded that the EUMM is mandated to cover the whole of Georgian territory and urged to grant the mission free access to Abkhazia and South Osetia where it had so far been denied.

Discussing the current situation in Georgia, Mr Teikmanis highlighted the importance of the EU staying actively involved in promoting safety, stability and a peaceful solution of conflicts in Georgia, by supporting the efforts to ensure as wide as possible international presence in Georgia. It is also in the interests of Latvia to continue progress with the EU–Georgia agenda – the discussions on facilitating visa requirements and on readmission agreements, the issue of the EU–Georgia free market and the work on an Association agreement with Georgia.

In the External Relations session of the GAERC, EU Member States discussed the situation in Somalia and the possible involvement of the EU in its stabilisation.

The Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic informed the members of the GAERC on Canada's decision to resume visa requirements for the nationals of the Czech Republic. Member States of the EU expressed their solidarity and emphasised that the situation, when EU nationals are given the status of an asylum seeker or a refugee in other countries of the world, is unacceptable.

During the working lunch, the GAERC and the EU Member States discussed future action concerning Iran, taking into consideration the current post-election situation in the country.

(End of text)