Foreign Minister Martynov at a ministerial meeting of the Eastern Partnership

On 13 December, a ministerial meeting of the Eastern Partnership chaired by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton was held in Brussels. The meeting involved European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule and foreign ministers of the EU Member States and six countries participating in the Eastern Partnership.

The meeting reviewed the progress achieved in delivering the Eastern Partnership initiative, actions needed to bring impetus to the EaP and preparation to the EaP Summit scheduled for May 2011 in Budapest.

Sergei Martynov stressed the need for practical cooperation within the EaP. To this end, Belarus suggests to set up an Eastern Development Forum to involve all interested companies and state agencies to help raise cooperation between business and governments.

Sergei Martynov also talked in favour of larger project activities of the EaP, including in energy security and participation of third countries in projects under the aegis of the EaP.

In the lead-up to the Summit in Budapest, Belarus put forward suggestions on the elaboration of the EaP strategic projects, the EaP road map for the next two years and on the setting up of the Eastern Development Forum.

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