EU-Ukraine Association Will Strengthen Security in Europe - President of Lithuania

KYIV, Ukraine, September 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

It is vital that the EU provides as much security and stability around its borders as possible stressed Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite at the Inter-Parliamentary Conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) in Vilnius. The signing of the Association Agreement (AA) between Ukraine and the EU will contribute to the strengthening of security in Europe, she added.

"I am confident that the signing of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine, initialing of the agreements with Georgia and Moldova at the meeting of Heads of State held in Vilnius in November this year would not only advance closer trade and economic relations, but would contribute to building a European continent that is secure, stable and prosperous," said Grybauskaite, as reported by focus.ua.

In addition, President Grybauskaitė highlighted the importance of relations between the EU and its Eastern neighbors while dealing with crises around the world, ranging from the use of chemical weapons and cyber attacks to lack of water and environmental issues.

"The signing of the Association Agreement with Ukraine is important for the entire European Union and carries geostrategic significance," said Dalia Grybauskaite during the later meeting with Volodymyr Rybak, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament). She also stressed that AA should become a strong impetus for uniting all political forces in Ukraine. "Integration is necessary and beneficial first and foremost for Ukraine and its people," she said. Dalia Grybauskaite noted that Ukraine has made significant progress and yet with only a little more than two months to go before the Vilnius Summit, more intensive efforts must be made to achieve an agreement between the political forces.

At the same meeting Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that Ukraine was the key to success of the Eastern Partnership initiative because it had more people that any other country included in the program, as reported by the Polish radio Jedynka. He also mentioned that the integration of Ukraine into the European Union would benefit Russia and in the long run.

The conference was also attended by the senior EU officials, including EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.