Europe ‘Somewhat Weary’ Of Expansion: EU Not Expecting Georgia Anyti

EUROPE ‘SOMEWHAT WEARY’ OF EXPANSION: EU NOT EXPECTING GEORGIA ANYTIME SOON

epress.am
10.03.2011 11:47

At the Eastern Partnership Summit in Warsaw, European leaders tried
to re-ignite the passion in both the EU and the East for closer
integration, reminding both sides of why they should continue their
courtship.

The two-day summit closed Friday with a declaration in which EU
leaders said they “acknowledge the European aspirations” of a group
of ex-Soviet countries – indicating that the EU’s doors remain open
to them in the future, if they make far-reaching democratic changes,
AP reports.

None, however, have any realistic chance of joining for years to come.

This is because of their recent track records and because the EU
itself is so bogged down by the Greek debt crisis and questions about
the euro’s future that some are now questioning if the EU can even
survive in its current form.

In fact, AFP reported French Prime Minister Francois Fillon as saying
on the sidelines of the summit: “though in sympathy with Ukraine
and Georgia’s expectations, I believe debating over the type of EU
relationship with the countries in question would be ineffective at
this point.”

“Europe is somewhat weary of the idea of EU expansion. The West cannot
help feeling that Bulgaria and Romania’s 2007 EU accession was much
too premature,” he was quoted as saying.

The summit in Warsaw was devoted to the Eastern Partnership, an
initiative launched by Sweden and Poland in 2009 to deepen the EU’s
ties with Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress