Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 31 August (BelTA) – Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei stressed the need to align the European and Eurasian integration processes when speaking at a plenary session of the meeting of foreign ministers of the Visegrad Group and Eastern Partnership countries in Budapest, Hungary, BelTA learned from the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In his address Vladimir Makei noted the importance of having concrete results in the Eastern Partnership, including the development and implementation of specific projects. “He noted the need to preserve the non-confrontational and constructive nature of the Eastern Partnership. The minister called for the intensification of trade and economic cooperation between the EaP member states and the European Union and the alignment of the European and Eurasian integration processes,” the press service noted.

Vladimir Makei met with Hungary’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Peter Sijjarto. The two sides exchanged views on the prospects for greater cooperation in the regional initiatives and international organizations, and the way of bolster the Belarusian-Hungarian trade and economic cooperation.

On the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers, Vladimir Makei met with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Poland, Georgia and other countries to discuss the bilateral and multilateral agenda.

The meeting in Budapest was also attended by Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser (Estonia presides over the EU Council in the second half of 2017) and European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn. The heads of the delegations discussed the forthcoming EaP summit in Brussels in November 2017, including the preparation of its declaration. The key items on the agenda were the interaction in energy infrastructure and financial cooperation of the Eastern Partnership countries with the European Union.