Brussels, 06/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 5 September, Vice-President of the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly Jacek Saryusz-Wolski MEP (EPP, Poland) called on the EU to defend the Eastern Partnership countries on which Russia is exerting pressure (see EUROPE 10904). “The EU has a responsibility to defend its Eastern partners from Russia's unacceptable actions aimed at deterring them from association with the EU”, Saryusz-Wolski said in a press release. “It is not only about individual countries, it is about the whole relationship between the EU and its Eastern neighbours. The Ukraine, Armenia, Moldova and Georgia are just parts of the escalating pressure, whose goal is to bring the whole Eastern Partnership project - which, by itself, is one of the pillars of the EU's foreign policy - into question”, Saryusz-Wolski stated.
The leader of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, Elmar Brok (EPP, Germany) described Russia's policy towards Armenia, which has decided to join the customs union, as “unacceptable”, and believed that the policy “constitutes a violation of basic international law”. “The European Union must make itself heard on this issue”, he added (see EUROPE 10914). In Brok's opinion, if Armenia and Azerbaijan had been able to find a political solution to their conflict, then Armenia would have been in a position to resist the Russian pressure.
European Parliament debate.
The European Parliament's conference of presidents has decided to organise a debate on Russia's pressure on the Eastern Partnership countries, and its threats of a response if the Eastern Partnership countries sign or initial their association agreements with the EU. The debate will take place during the plenary session in Strasbourg on 12 September and will be followed by a vote. (CG/transl.fl)