Region's leaders meet

TALLINN - Foreign Ministry Secretary General Marten Kokk participated in a meeting of the Nordic-Baltic co-operation ministers on Feb. 18 in Vilnius, reports the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Nordic-Baltic partnerships were a key theme during the visit to the Lithuanian capital. The agenda for the meeting between the Nordic ministers and their colleagues from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania included closer Nordic-Baltic collaboration, the EU’s Baltic Sea Strategy, and issues regarding Belarus, with particular focus on the EHU (European Humanities University).

While talking about co-operation opportunities between the European Union and Belarus, Kokk noted that the European Union’s goal should be “for Belarus to become a democratic neighbor that functions well economically.” The secretary general stated that it is essential to begin negotiations with Belarus over a new partnership and co-operation agreement. “We must also find a way to include the Belarusian democratic opposition and civil society in the EU-Belarus dialogue,” emphasised Kokk.
“One opportunity to include the democratically-minded Belarusian powers in this dialogue is through carrying out projects for developing Belarusian civil society,” Kokk added.

He stressed that supporting the Vilnius-based European Humanities University is very important. “Belarusian students who cannot study in Belarus because of their political views can study at the school in Lithuania,” said Kokk, adding that in 2008, the Foreign Ministry supported the school with 450,000 kroons (28,850 euros) and in 2009, with 200,000 kroons. He mentioned that the ministry is going to support the school this year as well.
Another topic discussed at the meeting was the Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and matters related to its implementation. According to Kokk, the Strategy creates a good situation for transforming the Baltic Sea area into a forward-looking and competitive region. “The Baltic Sea Region initiative could also be an example for other regions in the European Union formulating similar strategies,” he stated.

Within the framework of the meeting of the ministers, a meeting with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite also took place. According to Grybauskaite, the implementation of the Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, a European Humanities University supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers, and common regional energy and transport projects are excellent examples of the successful Nordic-Baltic cooperation. “The Baltic and Nordic countries are united by common interests, and close cooperation would widen the region’s potential and strengthen our role in Europe and globally,” she said.

The close working relationships between the Baltic and Nordic countries helped to inspire the EU’s Baltic Sea Strategy, which was adopted during the Swedish EU Presidency in the autumn of 2009. “Nordic-Baltic co-operation is at the very core of the development of a strong and competitive Baltic Sea Region - what we call the ‘Top of Europe’,” said Bertel Haarder, the Danish Minister of Education. “The Danish presidency will strive to ensure that the Nordic Council of Ministers plays its part in implementing the EU’s Baltic Sea Strategy, which will benefit citizens as well as businesses.”
The EHU has played a leading role in efforts to preserve intellectual freedom in Belarus since it was founded in Minsk in 1992. Closed by President Lukashenko in 2004, and forced into exile in Vilnius, the EHU is now the sole Belarusian alternative to state-controlled higher education.

The EHU is dependent on support from the international community and donors. The EU, several European governments, the U.S. government, the Nordic Council of Ministers and private funds all provide financial support. The EHU Trust Fund is administered by the Nordic Council of Ministers, which ensures that money is donated safely and transparently.