Foreign Minister Riekstins: It is important to ensure value added of Lisbon Treaty for each European citizen

On 12-12 October, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins took part in the Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Baltic and Benelux countries in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belgium, Luxemburg and the Netherlands discussed preparations for the upcoming European Council at the end of October, including the EU institutional issues related to the prospective procedures for the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty. "It is important to ensure that the Lisbon Treaty has as high as possible value added for each European citizen, for instance, by including in the functions of the European External Action Service also consular assistance in emergency situations," Foreign Minister Riekstins called upon his colleagues.

The Foreign Minister of Latvia introduced a discussion on the EU enlargement issues, and noted both the strong support by the Baltic states to Iceland's membership application and the progress achieved in the Croatian-Slovenian border dispute which obstructed also Croatia's accession negotiations. The ministers also reviewed the euroatlantic integration of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and the support to a European course in the policy of Serbia.

The Baltic and Benelux foreign ministers exchanged opinions on the co-operation of the European Union and NATO with their eastern neighbours, including Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Important subjects for the debate were also the development of NATO's new Strategic Concept and priority topics of transatlantic co-operation within the Alliance.

This is the fourth meeting, in 3+3 format, of the Baltic (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) and Benelux (Belgium, Luxemburg, the Netherlands) foreign ministers.  A tradition of regular meetings was initiated in 2007, in Riga. The next ministerial meeting is scheduled for spring 2010 in Belgium.

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