[autom.vertaling] Oostelijke as die wordt geplaatst om verder te gaan (en)

Co-operation between the Visegrad group - the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary makes sense and must go on after the four countries join the EU as from May next year. That was a message sent by the four presidents from Monday's summit in Budapest.

President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus, who earlier, as the country's Prime Minister, described this co-operation as an artificial, false and unnecessary grouping, has now echoed this sentiment.

"We will try to change slightly the formula and scope of Visegrad's activities", Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski told reporters hoping that the "useful vehicle" will go on in an especially "difficult time".

The Eastern dimension of the enlarged Union could be one of the future tasks for the Visegrad Four.

According to Slovak President Rudolf Schuster, the group should help other countries, such as Ukraine, to integrate into Europe.

Warsaw, Prague, Bratislava and Budapest could also focus on adjustments to open the boarder areas of Schengen and investments in infrastructure in Central Europe.

But the Visegrad group proved to be less efficient when taking a joint position on sensitive issues like at the accession talks last year. The same applies today.

During talks on the final shape of the EU Constitution, Warsaw failed to get support for its fight for retention of the decision-making system adopted in Nice.

Budapest also suffered a diplomatic setback, finding no support for its idea of "minority rights" mentioned in the EU treaty.