Belgium, Brussels, 3 Dec / Trend corr. A.Ismayilova/ European Commission (E.C.) offers closer cooperation to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Belarus.
E.C. decided to back the Eastern Partnership initiative for six former Soviet
countries.
"That promotes stability, good governance and prosperity in these countries," E.C.
President Jose Manuel Barroso said to journalists in Brussels on 3 Dec.
Poland and Sweden backed the initiative to create a unified forum for eastern
neighbours - Eastern Partnership, which will unite 26 countries, as well as Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The new agreement envisages introduction of free trade area, conclusion of
bilateral and multilateral strategic agreements.
According to Barroso, E.C. wants to help Eastern Partnership countries solve their
political and economic problems.
"We have made the decision now and the events in Georgia had impact on it," he
said.
These countries are united by human rights and democracy related problems, President
said. Commission's new initiative was intended to solve these problems. "For
this purpose Commission will increase its financial support for these countries.
€50mln was allocated in 2008 and the sum will be increased to €350mln," said
Barroso.
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