During an EU- Russia summit in the Western Siberian city of Khanty Mansiysk on June 26-27, talks on a new agreement on strategic partnership are to be launched.
In their approaches to the agreement there are differences between the sides: Europe would like to see all the ins and outs of the agreement set down, while Russia is more in favor of a wider framework. What are the reasons for this difference of opinion? And, in general, who needs the agreement more? RIA Novosti asked a number of European politicians - EU representatives, foreign ministers, and MPs from EU countries - for their opinions.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU External Relations Commissioner
Both the EU and Russia agreed at their summit meeting in 2006 in Helsinki that we needed to modernise our institutional framework and build a new partnership for the next generation of Europeans as both Russia and the EU have undergone changes since the current Partnership and Co-operation Agreement was negotiated in the early 1990s.
The European Commission has just received the mandate for the negotiations on a new agreement from the 27 EU Member States and we will see the political launch of these talks during the EU-Russia summit in Khanty-Mansiysk.
This new agreement will combine an enabling, legally-binding institutional framework with an ambitious agenda for equal partners - clarifying our objectives, and building trust.
Hallmarks of this cooperation will be: results-orientated political co-operation, deep economic integration, a level playing field for our energy relations based on the principles of the Energy Charter Treaty, ever closer relations in the field of freedom, security, and justice, and the opening of our educational and scientific systems to each other.
Peter Mandelson, the EU Trade Commissioner
The important thing to say is that we both agree that we want to have a strategic partnership. And we want to sign an agreement which has sufficient content to give the guidance, the set of parameters, the way we'll conduct our relations in the future. We've agreed on the terms of reference, we've agreed on the goals, we've even agreed now when we are going to start, which will be kicked off at the time of the forthcoming EU-Russia summit. And I'm rather optimistic about our partnership. I think that for Europe and for Russia we have a tremendous amount to contribute to each other. We are a reference point for each other in so many different ways: economically, trade and investment. We have a huge amount to offer to each other. What we have to do is to get the law right, the rule straight, the conditions in which we do this trade and carry out this investment and that is what we need to focus on.
If there is a difference of opinion in how light or how detailed the agreement will be I'm sure we can find a middle way that accommodates both points of view.
Dr. Johannes Aigner, Austrian Ministry of European and Foreign Affairs
Talks imply that sometimes a search for agreement starts from completely different positions. Only those who do not comprehend the complexity of EU-Russia relations can hope for a quick and simple completion of this process. This agreement is of equal importance for both parties because their relations are very intense and closely intertwined economically.
Gergana Grancharova, Minister for European Affairs, Bulgaria
In the modern world, at a time of general globalization, agreements between individual players on the global economic and political scene are the optimal solution. The European Union, created for peace and for generating social policy, firmly believes in this approach. It is also a successful strategy. You have asked me about the reasons for the differences, and I would like to say that differences are the prime mover of the European project. For the European model they have never been an obstacle to a search for sensible and mutually advantageous decisions. Differences are the incentive not only for economic competition, but also for competition of ideas and solutions. I have no doubt that the EU and Russia need each other and have amassed sufficient potential for a mutually beneficial partnership. Russia is the EU's biggest neighbor, a country with a rapidly developing economy, a huge producer of consumer goods, and the EU's third largest trade partner. In the past five years the EU has undertaken the biggest expansion in its history, with more countries now negotiating its membership. This makes the EU extremely attractive for investments. We have good reasons to carry on and update our partnership.
The start of negotiations on a new agreement will set future targets for Russia-EU strategic partnership. Energy, of course, will be central to them. Russia is the main supplier of energy to the EU. This cooperation gives Russia new opportunities for developing its economy. Both negotiating parties have shown awareness of the issue. The EU supports transparency, reciprocity and non-discrimination in energy partnership. The EU is positive about Russia's interest in the European Framework Program for Research and Technological Development. We want a more modern institutional framework for our partnership, and we want an all-embracing and detailed document. I do not doubt that Russia needs a strong EU, and that the EU needs a stable Russia because as we discuss such problems as uncontrolled migration, cross-border crime, drug trafficking, and climate change, we should not delude ourselves that we will be able to tackle them separately.
I believe that the new agreement will lay a solid foundation for solving current problems, including bilateral problems.
At the same time, we should keep working on roadmaps, on a common economic space, a common space of freedom, security and justice, a common external security space, and a common space for research, education and culture. For Bulgaria, cooperation with Russia in regional aspects - on the Black Sea and in Central Asia - is a priority in the context of the common external security space.
Urmas Paet, Estonian Foreign Minister
The negotiations give both parties a good opportunity to find solutions to the issues between the EU and Russia. Both parties need the agreement, and the more detailed it is, the more precisely it tackles the issues it contains, the better. I have repeatedly pointed out that the negotiation process should start as soon as possible, and I am glad that the talks will be launched in Khanty-Mansiysk.
There are a number of issues in EU-Russia relations that should be more precisely regulated. It is important that all topics of the roadmap for the four common spaces would be included in the agreement as well as the principles of the Energy Charter. Given the active trade between the EU and Russia, creating a mechanism for solving trade disputes is essential. For Estonia, the questions of railway tariffs, customs duties on timber, border-crossing delays and protection of investments are also important.
Dr. Andreas Schockenhoff, Member of the German Bundestag and Coordinator of German-Russian Inter-Societal Cooperation at the German Foreign Ministry
The new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) should also reflect the fact that EU-Russia relations have become more profound in the last few years and that they must continue to develop intensively. It will be impossible to jointly establish a close energy partnership, a free trade zone or to liberalize the visa regime unless we coordinate the required legal norms and their content. A general framework agreement would be an empty shell lacking any specific content. But neither Russia nor the EU wants this to happen. Consequently, it is in our interests to stipulate various norms and regulations.
Dora Bakoyannis, Greek Foreign Minister
Russia is a very important partner for the EU. Their relations should be particularly close. A lot of preparatory work has been done for the summit. The EU countries have removed their concerns. I hope that the summit will be a great success.
Michéal Martin, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Ireland
I am delighted that the EU was able to agree a mandate for negotiation of a new agreement with Russia at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 26 May. I look forward to negotiations being formally launched at the EU-Russia Summit on 26-28 June. These negotiations, which will be led on the EU side by the Commission, are expected to take some time given the importance of the relationship and the wide range of issues of interest to both sides, which is likely to grow still further in years to come.
Pier Virgilio Dastoli, Representative of the European Commission in Italy
I believe that a new agreement on strategic partnership will become an important document, primarily because we have many common interests and must promote our cooperation. It will renew the relations between the European Union and Russia. It is certainly appropriate. We have common interests in energy issues, efforts against climate change, and growing food prices.
We should establish rules in all spheres. I'm not sure that these rules should be specified in detail. We have differences in culture, law and geopolitics but we want to know each other better. Therefore, we'd like to explain to the Russians what our interests are and how we are going to protect them. But we should always remember that such protection is not aimed against anyone. In much the same manner, the Russians should understand our requirements, and explain what their interests are.
Who needs an agreement on strategic partnership more? The answer is simple - both Russia and Europe. Geographers maintain that there is only one continent - Eurasia - rather than Europe and Asia. We all live on this continent, and we are all part of the same nature. This is why we must continue working together as partners.
Janis Urbanovic, Member of the Latvian Parliament, Chairman of the Concord Center Parliamentary Group
There are differences in approaches.
Why, then, does the EU want to spell out all the rules and regulations in a new agreement on a strategic partnership with Russia? The main reason is that the European Union is an organization with many members, who want maximum guarantees and maximum protection of their interests in their bilateral relations with Russia. In other words, what is important for them is the content, not the form, of the document.
Such an approach is understandable, but hardly practicable today despite the good intentions behind it.
On the other hand, the adoption of a declarative document dealing in generalities has no future either: later on, it will have to be augmented with hosts of other documents, which will give it both advantages and disadvantages.
I think the best option would be to conclude an extended treaty based on the previous four roadmaps.
This approach is acceptable to both sides, matches the experience of the past ten years and has clear prospects. Given a favorable outcome, such a treaty could last indefinitely. That is the first point. The second point is that it is important to reach the given agreement now. Perhaps the EU will even find it more valuable than Russia.
For the European Union the central point is its ability to work out common approaches to European-Russian relations for all of its 27 member countries. This concerns not only approaches, but ways of implementing them.
Russia's interests are easy to guess and predict. Russia sees the importance of the experience of reaching specific agreements with such a complex organization as the EU. Let us not forget that the European Union borders on Russia, and the existence of such an agreement could no doubt have great importance externally and internally - by fleshing out Russia's political, economic, social and many other goals.
Maxime Verhagen, Foreign Minister of The Netherlands
First of all, I would like to stress that the Netherlands attaches great importance to good relations with Russia. This concerns our bilateral relations as well as the European Union's relations with Russia. The Netherlands strives to strengthen bilateral relations with Russia and EU-Russia relations through dialogue and specific projects.
Enhanced and more profound EU-Russia relations match our common security and stability interests and facilitate expanded economic ties.
On June 26-27, Khanty-Mansiysk will host another EU-Russia summit, the first such event involving President Dmitry Medvedev. I hope that the summit will facilitate talks on the new strategic agreement between the EU and Russia. Naturally, I cannot anticipate events and discuss my Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov's upcoming proposals as regards the strategic agreement. Still, I can say a few words about EU efforts in this sphere. After difficult talks the 27 EU states have reached a consensus that they want to conclude an agreement with Russia.
Some agreements contain really detailed provisions. This presents an advantage because the EU and the Russian Federation will know what they can expect from each other. Authentic and clear mutual expectations are a decisive element in any relationship.
As to which of the two partners could benefit most from the agreement, I want to say that it would benefit both the EU and Russia. As I have already said, the EU and Russia have so many common interests in Europe, including energy interests, that the new agreement will benefit both the EU and the Russian Federation.
Mikolaj Dowgielewicz, Polish State Secretary for European Integration
Poland is hoping that the forthcoming EU-Russia summit (to be held in Khanty-Mansiysk on June 26-27) will promote constructive dialogue between the European Union and Russia. Poland is fully aware of the importance of comprehensive and well-balanced relations with Russia, which are based on mutual trust.
Poland expects the summit to help us find compromises on outstanding issues connected with Russia's WTO entry (payment for railroad tickets, export duties on unprocessed timber, and fees for the overflight of Siberia).
Poland welcomes the start of talks on a new EU-Russia agreement. At the same time, Poland expresses its gratitude to Slovenia, which currently holds the presidency of the EU, the European Commission, and EU member states for their cooperation in reaching a final agreement on the mandate on new talks with Russia on May 26-27.
Poland is hoping that a new agreement with Russia will contribute to the further development of political and economic ties between the 27 EU states and Russia.
The EU and Russia are more than just neighbors. They have numerous economic, cultural, social and political contacts, and can build a form of strategic partnership on this basis. Their readiness to conclude an agreement based on clear-cut principles, transparency and mutual benefit will guarantee the success of these efforts and the reliability of contracts. A new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) should open a new page in the history of EU-Russia relations.
Jim Murphy, Minister for Europe, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK
The EU and Russia share many common interests and face many common challenges. The UK therefore believes that it is in both the EU's and Russia's interests to negotiate an ambitious, deep and wide-ranging agreement, covering such important issues as energy and climate security, trade, and human rights and the rule of law. This reflects the scope and importance of EU-Russia relations.
The UK also agrees with the Russian government that the agreement should be binding. A comprehensive, binding agreement will help the EU and Russia build a stable and strong long-term partnership, based on mutual understanding and shared goals, with both parties having confidence that any disagreements can be settled within a transparent, rules-based framework. This will bring consistency and predictability to the relationship and benefit both sides.
Michael Gapes, MP, Chairman of the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, UK
I think it's important that it's (summit) happening but there is a very large agenda and I suspect that no great results will come initially. I think it's important that work continues on a number of different fronts dealing with economic matters as well as wider issues. But of course for any long-term improvement there are a number of other issues that have to be dealt with and the British government and other governments have some specific issues that should be addressed.
As you are aware there have been some bilateral problems between UK and Russia and we have some concerns about unresolved issues to do with extradition and also what is been happening with regard to the British Council's operations in Russia which have caused of course a great concern for us in this country.
I suspect that Russia will want to concentrate almost entirely on the economic side and I think that the European Union will wish to raise some human rights and political issues as well.
