Azernews.Az

WARSAW – The European Union should not close its borders for neighboring countries, which are trying to pursue democratic values and draw closer to Europe, Marshal of the Polish Sejm Grzegorz Schetyna has said.

An important element of the EU’s Eastern Partnership program is to facilitate contacts among the citizens of the EU and countries included in it - Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova and Belarus, Schetyna added, addressing a conference of the heads of EU parliaments’ foreign affairs commissions and members of the Eastern Partnership in Warsaw on Monday.

The more the process of democratization gains ground in EU’s neighboring countries, the more secure its borders will be, Schetyna was quoted by Ukrinform news agency as saying.

He stressed that Europe should not close its borders to partners which respect human rights and are open for dialogue on the form of government.

Schetyna said the Eastern Partnership will facilitate contacts between the EU and its partner countries. In this context, decisions to be taken at the Eastern Partnership summit in Warsaw on September 29-30 will have a significant impact on the future of the project, he said.

"It's important to give a political signal for further approximation of EU partner countries. The emphasis of the European ambitions with regard to its eastern neighbors would be a strong impetus for them to intensify reforms," he added.

The Eastern Partnership program was initiated by Poland and Sweden in 2009. The program offers partner countries deepening cooperation with the EU in a number of areas, including facilitating the visa regime, enhancing energy cooperation and opening free trade zones.