Brussels, 09/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - The association of Russia and Ukraine in the European Security and Defence Policy (Esdp), as well as future energy cooperation between the EU and Russia (and the role Ukraine will play in that context, notably as transit country) will be at the centre of talks the EU ministerial Troika will have in Ukraine, Russia and Moldova next week (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.4). the Troika, made up of Anna Lindh, Council President, Javier Solana, High Representative for Cfsp, the Commissioner for External Affairs, Chris Patten, and Louis Michel, Belgian Foreign Minister (for the next EU Council Presidency) will also go to Kaliningrad on Thursday.
In Ukraine, where the Troika will be on Tuesday, talks are scheduled with President Kuchma, Prime Minister Yushenko and the Foreign Minister. Mr. Patten intends on that occasion assuring them that enhanced energy cooperation being considered with Russia ("Prodi Plan", aimed at increasing European imports of gas and oil from Russia in exchange for private investments in the Russian energy sector) will not be to the detriment of Ukraine, and that the latter's interests will be respected, Commission sources underpin. As for Mr. Solana, he will seek details on the ideas mooted by Kyiv last year (in the form of a "memorandum" submitted to the EU/Ukraine Summit of Paris) in view of, in one way or another, associating Ukraine in Esdp. The EU has not yet finished examining the memorandum and hopes to obtain certain clarifications as to the possibility of strengthening military and civilian cooperation with Ukraine, including in the context of crisis-management. The EU, for its part, is prepared to move ahead in this area, and provide a practical follow-up to the conclusions of Nice, European diplomats point out. The Swedish Presidency has also said that it intended raising the case of the journalist who disappeared in Ukraine (and found assassinated)), as well as the problem of the freedom of the media (see EUROPE of 8 February, p.5). Finally, the EU's enlargement eastwards will be discussed and its consequences for Ukraine (notably the future establishment of "Schengen" borders between Ukraine and Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania, which also means the introduction of a visa obligation).
In Russia, where the European delegation will be on Wednesday, talks are planned with Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, as well as with the President of the Security Council, Sergui Ivanov. Russia's future participation in Esdp will be discussed at length, notably on the basis of the joint declaration approved last year at the EU/Russia Summit in Paris. Russia (like Ukraine) is very interested in such cooperation, Community diplomats repeated on Friday. EU enlargement eastwards (and Russia's concerns about this) will obviously be raised, and Commissioner Patten will repeat here that the EU takes Russia's concerns "very seriously". "these issues must be discussed, and the EU is to do so in all the appropriate bodies set up by the Partnership and cooperation Agreement (PCA)", said a European diplomat. Another subject that should be discussed at length is Russia's future membership of the World Trade Organisation" (WTO). It seems that Russia is not prepared to include in its offer in view of joining the WTO any concessions it made in the Partnership and cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the EU regarding market openings and services sectors, and this because of the most favoured nation clause (MFN) that would oblige it to extend these concessions to all the members of the WTO. The European delegation will place emphasis in Moscow on the need for Russia's offer to the WTO to be at the same level as the concessions granted to the PCA. Finally, energy cooperation will be broached and both parties could note that the first working groups (responsible for exploring in detail the practical possibilities of cooperation) are now in place and that they have begun work.
In Kaliningrad, the EU will set out and explain the ideas contained in the Commission's recent communication on the future of Kaliningrad, in the context of EU enlargement which will make of the territory a Russian enclave within the EU (see EUROPE of 18 January, p.10).