Hahn: Summit declaration to satisfy everyone

The Eastern Partnership summit in being held in Riga. Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn commented on the final summit declaration issue on May 22. Belarus and Armenia refused to sign it because of the remark about ‘the annexation of Crimea’, mass media reported earlier.

“We will prepare a declaration that will satisfy everyone. The final declaration is still being discussed but the main prospect is already clear,” the European Commissioner said on his arrival at the National Library of Latvia.

Answering the question about the Crimean issue, Hahn replied: “There are certain ideas. Our partners need to understand that it is like a compromise test. All the 28 EU member states have learnt to reach such compromises. Now the six partners need to learn to do it too.”

The EU must ‘work out a differentiated approach to different EaP member states’, he said. The main thing is that everyone has a common interest – stability and wellbeing in the region. This is what unites different countries, Hahn noted.

The Crimean issue will be reflected in the final declaration of Riga summit, Finnish PM Alexander Stubb announced.

28 Presidents and PMs of the EU member states and representatives of six EaP member states (Belarus, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia and Moldova) are taking part in a plenary session of the Eastern Partnership summit today. Our country is represented by Foreign Minister Uladzimir Makei. Azerbaijan is also represented by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Georgian has sent the PM to Latvia. Armenia and Moldova are represented by their Presidents.