President Valdas Adamkus participated in the extraordinary session of the European Council to discuss the situation Georgia, EU aid to Georgia and prospects for EU-Russia relationship.
President Valdas Adamkus participated in the extraordinary session of the European Council to discuss the situation Georgia, EU aid to Georgia and prospects for EU-Russia relationship.
President Adamkus was the first to speak among the EU heads of state and government. He called for providing every possible help to Georgia, underlining that the vital principles of the democratic world had been violated in Georgia and emphasizing that Russia’s actions negated the internationally accepted legal norms causing great concern.
“Georgia’s international borders have been recognized by the international community and no one has the right to correct them unilaterally through the use military force,” Mr. Adamkus said.
He called on the EU leaders to actively contribute to regulating the conflict in Georgia and rebuilding the country.
“We must adopt a package of urgent aid measures that would help Georgia rebuild its destroyed infrastructure, strengthen investors’ confidence and assist it on the path to Europe. It is even today that we have to approve the signing of visa facilitation and free trade agreements with Georgia. Lithuania welcomes the proposals to convene an international donors’ conference and a summit on eastern neighborhood in Tbilisi,” Mr. Adamkus said.
He further noted that the European Union must strengthen relations with its other eastern neighbors.
“Let us send a clear and unequivocal signal to Ukraine, offering it an EU perspective. We must also review our relationship with Moldova based on this model,” Mr. Adamkus said.
He suggested that the European Union assess in political terms its relationship with Russia. “Negotiations over the new partnership agreement are equally important to both: the European Union and Russia. However, in attaining this strategic goal, we cannot ignore the values that are at the very basis of our relationship,” Mr. Adamkus said, proposing to suspend the talks. According to President Adamkus, the future of the talks will depend on Russia’s compliance with the six-point agreement on the withdrawal of troops from Georgia.
Valdas Adamkus pointed out that the events in Georgia witness the necessity of creating a unified and strong EU energy policy. “I firmly believe that a more rapid development of alternative energy supplies and our partnership with transatlantic partners will eventually guarantee Europe’s energy security,” Mr. Adamkus said.
Press Service of the President