The aims of the EU’s Eastern Partnership are to provide a coherent framework for cooperation with the six countries in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Ireland supports the aims of the Eastern Partnership and looks forward to the Summit as a significant step forward in the EU’s relationship with these countries. I am convinced that Association Agreements have the potential to build an area of prosperity and stability in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood, within the framework of the rule of law and supported by democratic values. They can contribute to the security and prosperity, not only of the Eastern Partners, but also of the EU and its Member States, including Ireland.
All six Eastern Partner countries will be present at the Summit. This will include Belarus where, regrettably, the situation with regard to human rights and democratic standards leaves it unable to conclude an Association Agreement with the EU. The presence of Belarus at the Summit will allow the EU to send clear messages to the Belarus authorities regarding our concerns on the human rights situation there. With regard to Ukraine, President Yanukovych has announced that they will suspend the preparations to sign their Association Agreement with the EU at the Vilnius Summit. While disappointed, Ireland would nevertheless hope that Ukraine will continue on the path of reform and believes that Ukraine’s future lies in a strong relationship with the EU.
The conditionality for Ukraine to sign its Association Agreement with the EU, set down by the Foreign Affairs Council in December 2012, includes addressing the issue of selective justice. The most prominent example of this is the conviction and ongoing detention of the former Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko. In that connection, I would refer the Deputy to my statement to this House on 19 November in which I set out Ireland’s position and the actions which I have taken in relation to this important matter.
As I stated last week, I support the appeal of the former President of Poland Aleksander Kwaœniewski, and the former President of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, to the President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, to release Ms Tymoshenko for medical treatment on health and humanitarian grounds by way of pardon. This continues to be my position.
