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NGOs In Vilnius Forum Say EU Neighborhood Policy Fell Short OfExpect

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  • NGOs In Vilnius Forum Say EU Neighborhood Policy Fell Short OfExpect

    NGOS IN VILNIUS FORUM SAY EU NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY FELL SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS

    Vilnius BNS WWW-Text
    03 May 2006

    ["EU Neighbourhood Policy Fell Short Of Expectations - Ngos In Vilnius"
    - BNS headline]

    VILNIUS, May 03, (BNS) - The enlargements of the EU and NATO have
    made Europe more secure than ever before, however, the European
    neighbourhood policy fell short of expectations because human rights,
    freedom and democracy are yet to come to Belarus and Russia, while
    "frozen" conflicts are still smoking in Moldova, Georgia, Nagorno
    Karabakh and Chechnya, reads a resolution adopted at an international
    forum of non-governmental organizations in Vilnius.

    According to the conclusions passed at the forum held in the framework
    of the conference Common Vision for Common Neighbourhood, the EU's
    Neighbourhood Policy "has not lived up to expectations for a truly
    common foreign policy effort." "The policy's focus on the new Eastern
    European democracies should be reinforced. Anchoring these countries
    to the Euro-Atlantic community is a strategic imperative for Europe's
    long term security," reads the document.

    "The EU needs a bolder, more consistent and coherent foreign and
    security policy towards the Europe's East before it is "too little,
    too late." The EU has to develop an active policy for promotion of
    democracy as well as adequate instruments to support in a direct
    and flexible manner democratic entities and civil societies in the
    Eastern Europe," the conclusions suggest.

    According to the resolution, "Europe's re-unification project cannot
    be finished without the new Eastern European democracies. The
    Euro-Atlantic community needs a common vision and a concerted,
    imaginative effort, encompassing political, economic, social, and,
    when necessary, military measures." "Europe's power of attraction
    may not be sufficient to offset Russia's power of compulsion," read
    the conclusions.

    Participants of the forum said that the EU and NATO should not shy
    away from raising difficult questions to Russia about its ambiguous
    role in the "frozen conflicts" and support to regimes that hold
    rigged elections. The official Russian support to Belarusian hard-line
    President Alexander Lukashenko's regime especially compromises Russia's
    democratic credentials, they said.

    "The people of Belarus should not suffer because of a criminal
    regime. The EU and NATO should continue a consistent policy line of
    isolating and pressuring Lukashenko's regime, while reinvigorating
    efforts to help the fledgling civil society of Belarus, which has made
    its voice heard during the recent fraudulent presidential elections
    in Belarus. As anti-democratic forces have proven in Serbia and
    Montenegro, Georgia, and Ukraine, tanks and guns cannot overwhelm
    the spirit of freedom," they noted in the conclusions.

    The document passed by the NGOs also speaks about the "double
    challenge" that the countries of the Community of Democratic Choice -
    first and foremost Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova - face: they must
    carry out rapid, painful and all-encompassing domestic reforms; and at
    the same time prove their democratic, European credentials. According
    to the resolution, the Eastern European countries must understand
    that integration is a two way street - whatever the political
    and strategic considerations, both the EU and NATO will condition
    membership perspective upon an aspirant's ability to meet the strict
    membership criteria.

    Forum participants also agreed that the improvement of energy security
    should be one of Europe's political and economic priorities.

    "Russia's use of energy supplies as a geopolitical tool causes
    a particular concern, prompting to the need for the EU to
    launch a common energy strategy in the face of a common security
    challenge. (...) Europe should also seek to further diversification
    of the sources of supply both according to geographic origin and
    resource base and devise vigorous programmes for the development of
    alternative sources of energy," read the conclusions.

    The document also reminds that the Russian Kaliningrad region must
    be kept on European neighbourhood agenda because Russia has not yet
    delivered on its promises to turn this region into a pilot project
    in EU-Russia relations. The EU and its member states should continue
    pursuing active relations with the region to ease its international
    isolation, imposed by Russia. Otherwise, the EU may face numerous soft
    security challenges stemming from Kaliningrad due to worsening social,
    economic and crime situation and degrading health and environment
    standards.

    The forum of non-governmental organizations is attended by NGO
    representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, the Czech Republic,
    Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,
    Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden,
    Ukraine and the United States.

    A conference of state leaders will take place in Vilnius on Thursday
    and will be attended by presidents of Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria,
    Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, US vice-president,
    EU's high commissioner for common foreign and security policy, and
    officials of EU and Eastern European countries.

    Vilnius Conference 2006: Common Vision for Common Neighbourhood is held
    by Lithuanian and Polish presidents, Valdas Adamkus and Lech Kaczynski.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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