Poland to host Eastern Partnership summit instead of HungaryFebruary 17, 2011 - 18:57 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - An Eastern Partnership summit will be held in Poland later this year, Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on February 17. The decision was taken as a result of an agreement reached by Poland, Hungary and the European Council, Sikorski said. "It will be the most important event of Poland's EU presidency," Sikorski was quoted as saying by the PAP news agency. "We are very glad that in agreement with Hungary, the Polish prime minister made such decision," Sikorski said, recalling that the Eastern partnership was "a Polish-Swedish project accepted by the entire EU." The summit, which was once planned for May 27 in Budapest, will be held in September or October. European Minister Mikolaj Dowgielewicz said a concrete date of the summit would be announced later, news.xinhuanet.com reported. The Eastern Partnership, inaugurated in 2009, is designed to consolidate cooperation of the EU with its eastern neighbors, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. It does not envisage EU membership for the six countries but plans their gradual and far-reaching integration with the EU. The summit, co-hosted by Polish and Hungarian prime ministers, will be attended by heads of state and government of the 27 EU countries and Eastern Partnership members. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. Aram I supports Karekin II’s “patriotic position” Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I has expressed support for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. |