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BNS: Baltic presidents agree on more unified stance on Ukraine, Georgia in EU

VILNIUS, Nov 26, BNS - The three Baltic presidents agreed in Estonia on Tuesday to hold a unanimous stance on Ukrainian and Georgian interests in the European Union, however, Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus noted that Georgia's path to NATO was more difficult than that of Ukraine.

"We considered the fact that we are probably failing to use all the potential of working together and agreed to make all efforts from now on to ensure that our voice is heard as a voice of three countries, particularly in the proposal and the solution of the tense situation in South Caucasus," Adamkus told journalists after meeting his Latvian and Estonian counterparts, Valdis Zatlers and Toomas Hendrik Ilves.

In the Lithuanian president's words, Ukraine and Georgia are unlikely to receive the NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) in December. Adamkus said that the two countries would have to perform different tasks until April.

"It would be almost a miracle in December, we evaluated the current situation in Georgia and Ukraine and know that this is not likely to happen but this does not relieve them from meeting all the requirements and us from supporting them," said the Lithuanian leader, adding "by April we may be able to push the issue to the level of them receiving the invitation."

A summit of NATO foreign ministers is scheduled to take place in Brussels on Dec. 2-3, and ministers will discuss Georgia's and Ukraine's readiness to receive the NATO MAP. A decision was made at the NATO summit in Bucharest in April this year that the MAP for Georgia and Ukraine should be put on hold, with their progress evaluated at the December session of foreign ministers.

The Membership Action Plan is an initial instrument intended to prepare NATO aspirants for duties and obligations of the Alliance. Granting of the MAP often leads to a country's future membership in the bloc.