Women’s rights still problematic in Southern Neighborhood

VILNIUS - On Jan. 31 in Brussels, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevicius stressed that when shaping the European Neighborhood Policy, the EU should apply the same standards taking into account the pace of reforms in each country, reports ELTA. “The EU relations with its neighbors should be determined on a case-by-case assessment of the needs and the pace of reforms. However, we must always support the empowerment of civil society, the promotion of human rights and effective responses to crises,” Linkevicius said.

Two years after the beginning of the Arab Spring, the Foreign Affairs Council meeting discussed the situation in the Southern Neighborhood and further EU support aiming at effective reforms. The Lithuanian foreign minister said that concerns over human rights, as well as uncertainties on women’s rights and freedoms still were not dispelled in the Southern Neighborhood.

In Brussels, Linkevicius said that the same principles should be applied to the Southern and Eastern Neighborhoods. The minister attended a meeting of the Group of Friends of Ukraine and stressed that the European Union was waiting for Ukraine’s decision on the direction of foreign policy.

“Ukraine holds the key to the further development of the whole region and we hope to sign the Association Agreement with this country at the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius. But success is not guaranteed in advance. It will depend on Ukraine alone whether our hopes will become fulfilled, whether reforms supported by the EU will be consolidated, and whether the country will dispel doubts about selective justice,” the Lithuanian minister said.

The Foreign Affairs Council discussed relations with the United States after the country’s presidential election. During the discussion, Linkevicius emphasized that when advancing the cooperation, the EU and the U.S. should find a common approach to the Eastern Partnership countries, share information more effectively about the developments in this region and coordinate their support for reforms closer.

The Council also discussed the situation in the southern Caucasus and in Syria, and the European Union Policy towards the Arctic region. The ministers met with the president of Somalia to talk about the security situation in the region and the fight against piracy. Lithuania has proposed sending an autonomous ship protection group to the EU’s Naval Operation Atalanta in Somalia in the second half of this year.