Brussels, 16/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 16 December, the foreign affairs ministers of the EU reiterated that the EU's doors remain open to Ukraine and that they are ready to sign the association agreement.
In the view of Luxembourg's Foreign Affairs Minister Jean Asselborn, “the Ukrainian people must be heard and the door must not be closed. Closing the door would be an extremely negative signal”, he said. In the face of “a pro-European movement in Ukraine which is the biggest for years, indeed in history, Europe has responsibilities towards this society which wants to come closer to Europe, and [Europe] should give it hope”, said Poland's Foreign Affairs Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. “This can be done either by promoting EU accession or by offering the best conditions in implementing the association agreement”, he added. Germany's Foreign Affairs Minister Guido Westerwelle reiterated that it was not for one political party or another but for European values. In the view of Spain's Foreign Affairs Minister José Manuel Garci Margallo y Marfil, the EU's patience is “almost infinite” and Ukraine is a country which is “very important. It is important to keep a relationship with Ukraine”.
Criticising the double language of Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukoyvch, Sweden's Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Bildt stated that if there is a clear message from Ukraine, “we are ready to sign tomorrow or the day after”.
Stefan Füle sows trouble. Nevertheless, on 15 December Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Füle brought doubt by saying (on Twitter) that the negotiations for the association agreement have been suspended. “[I] told First Deputy Prime Minister Arbuzov in Brussels [on 13 December] and after that the discussion is conditional upon the clear commitment to sign. Work in standby. [I have] not had a response”, Füle tweeted, stressing that “the words and acts of the president and government regarding the association agreement are further and further apart. Their arguments have no foundation in reality.” There was no response from Ukraine and therefore no basis for continuing the commitment taken during the meeting with Arbuzov, said Füle's spokesperson, Peter Stano. “What has been suspended is the talks between Füle and Arbuzov, including the objective of signing [the agreement] quickly”, said Stano. During the Council, Füle told the ministers that he no longer saw the mandate to act, as he should do this with the confirmation of Ukraine's resolve to sign.
Several ministers expressed their doubts. “There is no reason to suspend the discussions”, said the Netherlands' Foreign Affairs Minister Frans Timmermans, stating that “doing politics on the basis of Twitter is perhaps not the best way to address this issue”. In Asselborn's opinion, Füle did not say to close the door but wanted to “put pressure for the regime to move in the right direction”. Sikorski believed that Füle's position of putting discussions with Kiev on standby is “rational”.
Tense talks with Lavrov. The ministers discussed Ukraine with Russia's Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov. It was a “tense” discussion, according to Italy's Foreign Affairs Minister Emma Bonino, but Lavrov was “horribly nice” in Asselborn's view, who smiled wryly. “As soon as we approach the area between Russia and the EU, there is nervousness and problems”, he added. Lavrov reportedly asked the Europeans to confirm their readiness to organise a three-way technical meeting, on the economic involvement of the agreement. “The Russians say that it is not political, not against Europeans, but that they are afraid for their market”, said Asselborn, underlining that the Russians are afraid about the arrival of European products on the Russian market via Ukraine. “It would be a terrible mistake to ask Ukraine to choose between Russia and the Europeans”, he added, saying that Ukraine, “in order to survive economically, socially and politically, needs two partners - the Russians and the Europeans”. “A solution must be found in the interest of the three”, he added (our translation throughout). Sweden has reportedly called for a report on the Russian pressure. (CG with JK/transl.fl)