Brussels, 30/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The EU and Russia agreed on Monday to lay down the foundations for better energy cooperation. « The European Union and Russia have decided to act on a regular basis to usher in energy consultations so as to be able to push forwards on defining an EU/Russia partnership and its procedures », according to a joint declaration approved on Monday during an EU/Russia Summit in Paris. The declaration was given the blessing of President Jacques Chirac of France, President Vladimir Putin of Russia, the European Commission's President, Romano Prodi, and the High Representative for the CFSP, Javier Solana (a separate joint declaration was also approved on common security and defence policy, see page 5 of this bulletin). The new energy dialogue should make it possible « to evoke all matters of joint interest in this sector, including the introduction of energy cooperation and rationalising production and transport infrastructures, European investment opportunities and relations between producer and consumer countries".
Russia's ratification of the Energy Charter and the better investment climate are key items against this background. Russia is "ready to contribute to Europe's long-term energy independence », Mr Prodi said, during a joint press conference. The "strengthening" of the EU/Russia partnership should obviously be targeted on traditional sources such as gas and oil but is also set to include electricity. President Chirac stressed the importance of the energy partnership for enabling the EU to « diversify its sources of supply until 2020", and for Russia to modernise and strengthen its production capacities ». President Putin welcomed the European investments that this energy platform was going to attract and the impact the modernisation of the sector would have on other areas of the Russian economy. On the route of the future gas pipeline that Russia would like to pass through Bielorussia and Poland, whilst avoiding Ukraine (accused by Moscow of diverting gas supplies), President Putin told reporters that he recently had a meeting with Ukraine's President and the gas transport issue is likely to be settled. The Russian President stressed the need "to build two further gas pipelines" so as to supply the level of gas being envisaged. Mr Putin pointed out that Poland (which refuses the barter avoiding Ukraine) would receive nearly $one billion a year in royalties, as a result of the new gas pipeline.
As for bilateral trade, the two sides said the convergence of laws and a transparent, stable legal framework should help oil the wheels of trade. Against this background, the EU hailed the fact that the Russian Government has prepared an economic programme for promoting investments. The European investment opportunities in Russia nonetheless have to be improved upon. Hence the EU has announced its plan to press on with and step up technical assistance in this area mainly via the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Emphasis was also placed on the need for Russia to join the WTO at an early date.
EU enlargement was given a brief review. The final declaration stresses the importance of ensuring that enlargement leads to more trade between the expanded EU and Russia. The bilateral dialogue on enlargement will be continued in the appropriate Partnership Agreement fora, with special heed being paid to the Kaliningrad issue
The EU and Russia spoke of their hopes of stepping up regional and cross-border cooperation, particularly in the case of the EU's northern policy ("Nordic dimension"). Nuclear safety and irradiated waste and fuel management are expected to play a key role in this context.
Just one sentence in the declaration is focused on Chechnya, stressing the need for a « political solution », whilst safeguarding Russia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On international policy, the EU and Russia called for a resumption of the Middle East dialogue, stressing that « continuing confrontations offer no prospects and the use of armed force is no solution ». « The Russian Federation and the European Union confirm their readiness to cooperate with all the parties involved in creating a fair and lasting peace in the Near East » according to the joint declaration. As for Serbia, the two sides want the FRY to become fully involved in the international institutions and not least to join the UN at an early date.