German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid a brief visit to Poland's Gdansk Monday and held talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk during which she supported the Polish-Swedish initiative of strengthening the EU's eastern policy.
Both prime ministers also came out for a continuation of the Lisbon Treaty ratification process in Europe despite the Irish rejection of the treaty, Polish news agency PAP reported.
Tusk told reporters after the talks that "Poland's efforts to adopt the Eastern Partnership initiative are nearing a very successful end" and that the idea would "become a fact" at the next sitting of the European Council due June 19-20.
The initiative calls for creating a forum for regional cooperation of 27 EU members with 5 eastern countries: Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Merkel said Germany fully supported the idea of Eastern Partnership. Tusk added that it was also supported by a majority of the EU leaders.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks during a joint news conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk after their meeting in Gdansk June 16, 2008. Tusk and Merkel said they are in favor of a continued ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. Tusk said the Irish people's decision should be approached with respect.
"Europe will find a way out of the present situation and we will surely overcome the crisis," Tusk assured.
"The Poles' determination to act in favor of the European community is unquestionable," he added.
The concept of a "double-speed Europe" will not get support from any EU leader, Tusk said. Merkel also said she could not imagine such a Europe in which Poland and Germany would belong to two different sub-groups of EU states.
Source:Xinhua
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