Brussels, 24/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the President of the Commission, Romano Prodi, assured the Russian Prime Minister, Mikhail Kassiyanov, that the EU would do everything it could to solve the problem of Kaliningrad before enlargement but stressed that this solution had to conform to Community rules and procedures - notably - the obligations stemming from the Schengen Agreement, in terms of visa control and external border checks. At the end of talks with Mr Kassiyanov and a joint dinner with Commissioners and the Russian Prime Minister, Mr Prodi said that it was important that enlargement should be a "day of joy for everyone" including Russia (it's the first time that a Head of Government from a third country has been received by the college of Commissioners, stressed Mr Kassayanov).
"It is important to find a compromise on Kaliningrad that can satisfy both sides, be compatible with the Schengen Agreement and take account of the specific features of Kaliningrad", said Mr Kassiyanov, who submitted to the Commission a new Russian memorandum on the issue. One of the main problems regarding Kaliningrad concerns the obligation to have visas to move between Russia and Kaliningrad. Moscow proposed fixing "corridors" without visa obligation through Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, but the Commission seems to have rejected this solution. It plans, rather, to find "technical, financial and consular facilities aimed at facilitating to a maximum the obtaining and use of visas for Kaliningrad citizens. Technical talks will be continuing (a meeting of the Cooperation Committee in this connection should be held mid-May in Kaliningrad) with a view to preparing the EU/Russia Summit for 29 May in Moscow. Other issues discussed between Mr Kassiyanov and the Commission included the EU/Russia dialogue on energy, Russia's WTO membership, the prospect of setting up a "Common European Economic Area" between Russia and the EU, and issues relating to security and international policy, etc.