Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze and EU’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton at the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius after signing framework agreement on Georgia’s participation in EU’s crisis management operations on November 29.

Georgia and EU signed at the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit on November 29 a framework agreement on Georgia’s participation in EU’s crisis management operations.

The agreement was signed by Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze and EU’s foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, the EU invited Tbilisi to offer its contribution to EU’s civilian mission in the Horn of Africa and West Indian Ocean, EUCAP NESTOR, as well as in EU’s military training mission in Mali (EUTM Mali) and EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) in Libya.

Also on November 29 a formal ceremony of initialing Association Agreement, including deep and comprehensive free trade agreement, was held.

“Today we initial the Association Agreements [also Georgia and Moldova]. I am determined, however, that most agreements will be signed as soon as possible during 2014,” said President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso.

“But let us don’t forget that in coming months and years demanding task of provisional application and then full implementation of these comprehensive agreements is waiting for us,” he added.