Brussels, 16/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - The EU ministerial Troika (composed of Anna Lindh, Javier Solana, Chris Patten and Louis Michel), which made a series of visits this week to Ukraine, Russia (including Kaliningrad) and Moldova (see EUROPE of 10 February), restated the EU's determination to strengthen its partnerships with these countries so that its future enlargement eastward brings political and economic benefits to the whole of the European continent. "A strong partnership between the EU and Russia is essential if we wish to take full advantage of European Union enlargement", said Council President Anna Lindh in Moscow. "We consider enlargement as the main challenge facing our generation. It will bring economic growth, stability and prosperity not only to the current and future members of the EU but also to neighbouring countries of an enlarged EU, like Russia", she said. She went on to stress that the EU has no intention of creating further division in Europe. "In parallel to enlargement, it is both natural and essential to strengthen relations between the EU and Russia", she stated.
In a speech delivered on Thursday during an EU/Russia seminar in Moscow, Ms Lindh spoke of three areas in which progress should be made in the context of EU/Russia cooperation, namely: (1) a consensus on common ground for shared human and democratic values. Russia has made considerable democratic progress, "but some developments have from time to time caused concern", said Ms Lindh, mainly referring to events in Chechnya. Anna Lindh also expressed concern about the "growing pressure on independent media in Russia. (2) Enhanced environmental protection given the threats from nuclear waste or pollution of water resources, mainly in the north western part of Russia and in the region of Kaliningrad, which, on the ecological level, suffers greatly from the strong presence of Russian military forces. (3) Strengthened crossborder cooperation at all levels. According to Ms Lindh, special attention should be paid to cooperation in the fight against international crime.
In Ukraine, Ms Lindh stressed the EU's determination to develop and extend relations with Kiev so that, here also, EU enlargement (that will result in Ukraine having a long common boundary with the Union) may also benefit in terms of political stability, economic development and the proximity of a very large internal market. Ms Lindh, however, also expressed the EU's deep concern about the case of Mr Gongadze, the journalist who was highly critical about the Ukrainian authorities before being found assassinated. "It is very important to improve the conditions of the media in Ukraine (…) The Gongadze affair must be considered as a test case for Ukraine's democratic development", said Ms Lindh after the visit by the Troika.
Security and Defence: Javier Solana insists on cooperation with Moscow
Javier Solana delivered a speech in Moscow, on 15 February, during which he stressed that the EU plans to be "as open to other countries as possible" by developing its security and defence policy. "Russia is no exception", he said, adding that "we are engaged in consultations on security and defence issues". Mr Solana recalled: "And we are looking at how we can promote practical cooperation in the area of crisis management". He also said the EU is "not acting in isolation", and that, above all, it is "currently strengthening cooperation with the United States". Furthermore, he repeated that the ESDP "is not about collective defence", and that "we are not creating a standing army". "There will be no single European force marching under the European flag", he said.