Common Declaration of Germany and the Visegrad Group on the EU Southern Neighbourhood Policy
- We welcome aspirations and ambitions of the peoples in the region towards democratic changes and individual freedoms and liberties. These developments provide unique chances for these countries.
- We stand ready both bilaterally as well as through the European Union to support transformation processes in the region and to deepen and strengthen our cooperation.
- We and the EU are committed to a new partnership. This includes increased focus on support for democratic processes, in particular through European initiatives aimed at building democracy. We are looking forward to new proposals which should among others result in more flexibility, more support to civil society and more focus on education and training.
- The V4 countries and Germany are ready to contribute to the transition processes going on in these countries with their specific knowledge and experience gained on the path toward a society based on democracy, freedom and respect of human rights.
- The European Union and the international community can furthermore contribute to economic and financial stabilization through further steps towards free trade.
- In order to address the young generation we should consider to facilitate people to people contacts, exchanges and mobility.
- We strongly condemn ongoing violence in Libya and the brutal use of force by the Libyan regime. The United Nations and the European Union have taken strong decisions on sanctions against the Libyan regime. We are increasingly concerned about the humanitarian situation of refugees coming from Libya to neighbouring countries which calls for substantial humanitarian assistance also by the European Union. We are ready to firmly support these efforts.
