The program "Eastern partnership" does not aim at a direct extension of the European Union to the East, said the German Chancellor Angela Merkel on arrival at the summit in Riga.
"Eastern partnership" is not a tool of EU enlargement, but the tool of rapprochement with the EU. And in this vein, we will engage in dialogues tonight, " said she.
in her expressions, this Program has been through difficult times in the past years ". Review Merkel, the EU recognizes that " different participants in the program are literally different ways, And all these ways the EU accepts, transmits news Agency. Before Thursday, the head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said that the summit " Eastern partnership ", which opens in Riga, is not directed against Russia And he is not on membership of any country in the European Union. Before Thursday, the head of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on arrival at the summit of "Eastern partnership" has said that Ukraine has agreed with its European partners, the exact criteria for visa-free regime with the European Union, which it is obligated to perform until November of this year. Remember, on may 21-22 in Riga summit of " Eastern partnership ". In Tbilisi nourish the hope that the conference will be made the conclusion on visa-free regime of Georgia with the European Union. The fourth summit of "Eastern partnership" opens on Thursday in Riga." Eastern partnership - the EU-funded project on development of cooperation with European And Transcaucasian Soviet republics. 3 of the six countries participating in the project - Ukraine, Moldova And Georgia in 2014 signed the Treaty on the Union with the EU. Russian envoy to the EU Vladimir Chizhov stated before that work on a final Declaration rather tense: some countries want to strengthen anti-Russian orientation, and others that create obstacles. According to Deputy Minister of foreign Affairs of Belarus Alena Kupchyna, the summit of "Eastern partnership" in Riga could be the last in the case of promotion of members of the meeting of the anti-Russian subjects.

sections: Politics