EU to launch “Eastern Partnership” on May 7

European leaders will launch their "Eastern Partnership" to boost ties with six ex-Soviet republics at a Prague summit on May 7, EUbusiness quoted the Czech EU presidency as saying, Info-Prim Neo reports. The six countries invited to participate in the scheme are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The Eastern Partnership is aimed at increasing financial support from and cooperation with the European Union in those countries, where Russia still casts a long shadow. It remains unclear whether Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko would attend the summit. Last October, EU foreign ministers suspended a travel ban on Lukashenko and several associates in a move designed to encourage democracy in the wake of disputed elections there. A Czech diplomat said the EU leaders participating in Prague may hold another summit the same day or the following day with countries involved in the "southern corridor" - a planned energy supply route from the Caspian region, through Turkey and into Europe. Among the countries which could be invited to that event are Georgia, Kazakhstan and Turkey. The southern corridor, notably the Nabucco gas pipeline from the Caspian to Austria via Turkey, has become a priority issue following a recent gas payments row between Russia and major transit country Ukraine earlier this month. It reinforced Europe's wish to reduce its dependence on Russian gas and seek alternative sources and transit partners.