German president urges divided EU countries to support common values

There were many worrisome issues in the European Union but all countries of the bloc have to support common values, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Wednesday during his visit to Latvia.

"There are various issues in the EU to worry about. At the moment we are trying to achieve a situation when common values are supported by all the member states," Steinmeier told a joint press conference with Latvian President Raimonds Vejonis.

"It is necessary to hold talks with individual member countries, and these talks have to be more intensive instead of being stopped," he said.

The European Union and western EU countries have been at odds with eastern EU members such as Poland and Hungary, over a raft of contentious issues including migrant quotas and judicial reform.

"On the issues of migration, security, growth, and on other topics, we have a common position with Latvia, and I am thankful about that," the German president said.

It is too early to say that the crisis in Europe has been overcome but there are positive trends for quite a long time, Steinmeier said. He added that there is no more time to talk about reforms, it is necessary to show to the citizens of the EU that the bloc is advantageous for them.

For his part, Vejonis said Latvia and Germany traditionally have common values and goals, and secure, united and prosperous Europe is in the interests of both countries.

The German president is visiting all the three Baltic countries this week. He arrived in Latvia on Wednesday after a two-day day visit to Estonia and on Thursday will leave for a two-day visit in Lithuania.

source: Xinhua