The European Union from Turkey to the Eastern Partnership
In Brussels Romanian Foreign Minister, Lazar Comanescu on Monday attended the EU foreign ministers meeting
Valentin Țigău, 15.12.2015, 13:24
The EU foreign ministers who on Monday got together in Brussels tackled the recent developments in the Eastern Partnership countries, the fight against terrorism, the situation in Iraq and the developments in Libya. Foreign Minister Lazar Comanescu represented Romania at the meeting. The debates of the Eastern Partners focused on the implementation of their strategies and commitments and on the EU’s support for reforms in those countries.
Minister Lazar Comanescu said in an official press release that in the current regional and internal context, decision makers in the Republic of Moldova should increase efforts to form a stable pro-European government able to go ahead with the reforms. Comanescu called on the EU to further send signals to the Moldovan political class so that the country should further follow the path of reforms and stability.
The Republic of Moldova has been dealing with a serious political crisis after the government headed by the Liberal Democrat Valeriu Strelet was dismissed on October 29, through a no-confidence motion, by the pro-Russian leftist opposition with the support of the Democratic Party, a member of the government coalition. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, has called on Chisinau to do their best to overcome the current political crisis. Mogherini has admitted that the situation in the ex-Soviet Republic of Moldova is a reason for concern, but she has pointed out that the solution to the political crisis lies with the country’s politicians.
As far as Ukraine is concerned, at the Brussels meeting Foreign Minister Comanescu voiced support for the reform process to continue, so as to allow for the implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement as of January 1st 2016 and emphasized once more the need for the Minsk accords to be fully implemented.
It is worth mentioning that, on the sidelines of the Brussels meeting, the 28 EU foreign ministers had a working luncheon with their Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu. On that occasion, Foreign Minister Lazar Comanescu expressed satisfaction at the new boost given to the EU-Turkish relationship. Brussels and Ankara on Monday resumed Turkey’s EU accession negotiations, by opening, after years of deadlock, Chapter 17, which regards the economic and monetary policy. Romanian Foreign Minister Lazar Comanescu hailed Turkey’s contribution to supporting international efforts to settle the conflicts in Syria and Libya.
(Translated by Elena Enache)
