BRUSSELS, 24 November (BelTA) – The view against including anti-Russian paragraphs into the final declaration of the Eastern Partnership Initiative summit prevailed, BelTA learned from Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei after the summit in Brussels, Belgium on 24 November.
The official said: “Certainly, representatives of certain countries criticized Russia over the events in Crimea and Ukraine's east. But I have to say that an overwhelming majority of speakers were saying that the Eastern Partnership is not directed against third countries. It means they understand that peace and security in Europe and the region are impossible without Russia, at the expense of Russia or to the detriment of Russia.”
According to Vladimir Makei, the fact that there are no anti-Russian paragraphs in the final declaration of the Eastern Partnership Initiative summit is one of the key results of the summit. Russia has virtually nothing to do with the Eastern Partnership Initiative. “We believe if we take care of the Eastern Partnership, we should think about its future, about the advancement of cooperation between Eastern Partnership Initiative countries and the European Union. It would be inappropriate to include some paragraphs denouncing Russia into the declaration. We are glad that this point of view has prevailed. We believe it is the absolutely right approach with future in mind. There is no other way to resolve the current confrontation between the East and the West but a dialogue,” concluded Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei.
