Ukraine and Lithuania to assist Moldova in European integration

Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko and his Lithuanian counterpart Valdas Adamkus signed a joint declaration in Vilnius finding that the close ties between Ukraine and Lithuania have reached strategic partnership level. Referring to Moldova, the two presidents agreed to co-operate in advancing the relations with the Republic of Moldova and to assist it on its way to European integration, Info-Prim Neo reports. The parties noted the importance of arrangements, recently reached by Ukraine and Moldova, to complete demarcation of the Ukrainian-Moldovan state border, including its Transnistrian segment, with the involvement of the EU experts. In the declaration signed on Monday, May 12, Viktor Yushchenko and Valdas Adamkus emphasize that the cooperation on the regional level, particularly in the framework GUAM and Black Sea synergy, Council of the Baltic Sea States is instrumental in order to consolidate joint efforts. he parties expressed concern over recent decisions by the Russian Federation to upgrade the status of relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which put into question the territorial integrity of Georgia and escalated the tensions in the region. The parties called on the Russian Federation to revoke the announced plans in relation to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, both an integral part of Georgia. Also on Monday, Lithuania announced it was dropping its objections to Russia-EU strategic partnership talks. Earlier Vilnius had demanded Russia to resume crude oil supplies cut by Moscow in 2006 and to solve the frozen conflicts in the former Soviet republics of Moldova and Georgia.