Brussels, 12/11/2009 (Agence Europe) - Convinced that Russia remains “one of the European Union's most important partners in building sustainable cooperation”, the European Parliament calls for “pragmatic” development of relations with Moscow. In a joint resolution approved by show of hands on 12 November, just one week from the EU-Russia summit in Stockholm (EUROPE 10016), MEPs consider priority should be given to the setting in place of the four “common spaces” decided in 2003 (economy, external security, justice/freedom and research/education/culture) and to the negotiations underway on a new partnership agreement. The EP, however, stresses that the new agreement, which will succeed the current partnership and cooperation agreement, should go beyond purely economic cooperation to also cover questions of democracy, rule of law and respect of human rights and fundamental rights. Thursday's resolution is the first position taken by the new EP elected in June on EU-Russia relations. It differs somewhat from those expressed by the former assembly which were more critical in tone. Nonetheless, MEPs remain very keen on continuing regular consultations on human rights, even suggesting improvements of the format of these consultations to “enhance their effectiveness”. The EP also underlines that human rights should be a priority item on the agenda of the summit and an integral part of the new agreement. MEPs explicitly condemn the assassination of Makcharip Aouchev, the famous human rights activist and well-known opposition figure, who was assassinated in Ingushia. They call on the Russian authorities to ensure that those guilty of the murders of Natalia Estemirova, Andreï Kulagin, Zarema Sadulaïeva, Alik Dzhabraïlov, Makcharip Auchev, Stanislav Markelov, Anastasia Barburova and Anna Politkovskaïa are arrested and brought to justice. The Sakharov Prize 2009 has been awarded to the Russian civil rights defence organisation “Memorial”. The resolution explains that this choice shows the concern felt by the EP regarding independent justice in Russia, heightened state control on the media, and the inability of police and legal authorities to find those responsible for the assassination of journalists and human rights activists.
MEPs also underline the mutual importance of energy cooperation for Russia and the EU, given that “it represents a potential opportunity for further trade and economic cooperation between them”. However, the EP goes on to add, it is important that the principles of interdependency, transparency, equal access to markets, infrastructures and investment are at the base of energy cooperation. The principles set out in the Energy Charter and in the protocol on transit should appear in a new EU-Russia partnership agreement, MEPs assert. The EP expresses the hope that an agreement may be found at the summit on setting up an “early warning mechanism” to warn of supply problems affecting the supply in Europe of Russian fossil fuels, and invites the Swedish EU Presidency and the Commission to collaborate with the Russian authorities, Gazprom, the Ukrainian authorities and Naftogaz Ukrainy, in order to prevent the gas crises of recent years happening again. The EP also trusts that Russia will join the WTO and invites Moscow to take the necessary measures for eliminating obstacles that remain on the road to membership, especially when it comes to taxes and export duties, the level of rail tariffs for the transit of goods through Russia, road taxes on goods transport and restrictions on imports of meat, milk and plant products. The EP would also like the EU to seize the opportunity afforded by the Stockholm summit to express concerns on a number of international issues for which constructive cooperation on the part of Russia appears essential. These issues are: - Iran, Afghanistan, Middle East, Georgia, etc. On the subject of Georgia, the EP calls for the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM-Georgia) to have unrestricted access to Abkhazia and South Ossetia. (H.B./transl.jl)