MOSCOW, May 23 (RIA Novosti) - The president of the European Union's executive arm said Tuesday that Europe was not afraid of a strong Russia, ahead of a Russia-EU summit in a Black Sea resort this week.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, who will arrive in Sochi May 24 for the summit May 25, said Western Europe considered Russia to be an important partner, and praised Russia's efforts toward settling problems around Iran's controversial nuclear program and more generally in the Middle East.
He said the EU was looking for Russia to play a responsible role on global issues including democracy, the fight against terrorism, and the environment.
On energy security, expected to be a key issue at the summit as Europe looks to diversify its energy supplies amid fears of becoming too dependent on Russia, Barroso said relations should be mutually beneficial. He said Russian companies were welcome to expand into European markets, but that European countries should also be able to get into Russian markets.
Some in Europe reacted angrily to comments by Russian energy giant Gazprom's chief executive, Alexei Miller, in April that the company could look to China and South American markets if its expansion plans in Europe were blocked. Analysts said Russia was denying similar access to Russian hydrocarbon deposits on the basis of national security,
Barroso expressed concern regarding the situation around Belarus, where international monitors and opposition candidates denounced as fraudulent presidential elections March 19 that saw incumbent Alexander Lukashenko elected for a third term in office. The EU subsequently banned Lukashenko and other top officials from entering the union, and Barroso said Tuesday the EU was worried that it saw no signs of progress on democracy being made in Russia's closest neighbor.
