EU tones down commitment to Eastern Europe - by Bruno Waterfield
Internal divisions within Europe worked to Russia's advantage ahead of the EU "Eastern Partnership" summit with Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Political fears in key European governments, led by Berlin, has undermined the initiative to forge a new pact with former Soviet states and to counter a newly assertive Russia.
During talks in Brussels on Wednesday night, Germany and Holland forced changes to the Eastern Partnership summit communiqué because they feared fueling domestic popular opposition against future EU enlargement. The term "European countries", to refer to the six former Soviet countries, was dropped from draft texts to avoid any hint that it would imply future EU membership and migration rights, an issue which is controversial in many European countries. Instead the six are described as "Eastern European Partners" and "partner countries", a development that will deeply disappoint Ukraine and strengthen Russia's attempts to build a "sphere of influence" in the region. EU ambassadors have also watered down commitments to "visa liberalization", allowing people from the region greater work and business access to European countries.
Note EU-Digest: The watering down of the "enthusiasm" for the six former Soviet countries to become closely aligned with the EU by Germany and the Netherlands is appropriate, given the political instability of these countries, the experience acquired with some of the other former Soviet countries following their accession into the EU and the strong ties of the EU with Russia in many areas.
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