Azernews.Az

Germany offers former Soviet republics Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, and Moldova privileged relations with the European Union similar to the ones the 27-member bloc maintains with Turkey, a German MP says.
The initiative, put forth by representative of the European Parliament Ingo Friedrich, would be a third option for the countries that have yet to be admitted to the EU.
He said an Eastern European union may be set up similar to the Mediterranean union that would include the mentioned five countries.
"The EU has used up all opportunities for expansion, but it would be unfair to leave no prospects for European states," Friedrich said, adding that the Eastern European union could serve as a temporary solution for the countries that would be gradually approaching the EU.
Moreover, the authors of a relevant report, led by another European Parliament member, Elmar Brok, have proposed "the European Community", an intermediate form of relations between full-fledged membership and deep partnership for the EU's eastern neighbors covered by the European New Neighborhood Policy, which does not envision admission to the group. This formula would apply to Ukraine, Moldova and the three South Caucasus states.
The plan to establish the Mediterranean union was announced in March at the initiative of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Besides EU states, it will include a number of regional states, including Turkey, Libya, Lebanon and Israel. Regular conferences on issues of energy, migration, terror combat and trade will be held within this framework.
The establishment of the union is to be officially announced in July.