Brussels, 27/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, and Jose Maria Aznar, President of the European Council, will meet the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, in Moscow on 29 May for the ninth EU-Russia Summit. Commissioner Chris Patten, Loyola de Palacio and Pascal Lamy, Javier Solana, High Representative for CFSP, and the President of the EU Council Josep Pique will be taking part in the summit, which will issue declarations on Russian co-operation in the European Security and Defence Policy and in the Middle East, and reports on co-operation with regard to energy and the Common European Economic Space. This summit, taking place one year after the 28 May 2001 EU-NATO summit outside Rome, will discuss:
Russia's relations with NATO and the EU (particularly details for potential Russian involvement in EU mission in Bosnia and use of Russian air transport for EU missions)
Trade co-operation. The EU repeated that it would encourage Russia to join the World Trade Organisation, and wants to speed up implementation of a trade dispute settlement system with Russia
Kaliningrad. At the Special Co-operation Committee in Kaliningrad on 15 May between Russia and the EU, no agreement was reached - the EU refuses to establish corridors between Kaliningrad and Russia and Russian sources suggest this could hold up negotiations on Russia accepting Russian clandestine workers deported from the EU) (see EUROPE of 17 May, p.8)
Common European Economic Space. The high levels group led by Commissioner Chris Patten and Russian MP P.m. Khristenko, will carry out research into economic impact of convergence of Russian and EU legislative standards, following a work programme lasting until the end of 2003.
Environment and nuclear safety. The EU will again call on Russia to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. The EU is prepared to help Russia clean up its nuclear waste and ensure the safety of its old reactors but expects Russia to finalise the agreement on the Multilateral Nuclear Environmental Programme in Russia.
The two sides will also discuss the latest developments in Russia an the EU (including Chechnya and media freedom in Russia); co-operation in the war on terror, organised crime and clandestine immigration; space and technological co-operation and regional issues like the Transdniestria conflict, the Balkans, the Middle East, Afghanistan, etc.
In terms of Chechnya, Bart Staes, President of the European Parliament's Russia Co-operation Committee, called on the European summit participants to put pressure on Russia to get it to end hostilities. Bart Staes feels that in return for mass EU financial aid, Russia should meet its obligations concerning international human rights law.
Loyola de Palacio envisaging common air space with Russia and Central Asia
Commissioner Loyola de Palacio has been in Russia since Sunday and will be meeting the Russian transport, energy and foreign ministers.
Energy. The Commissioner will discuss various aspects of co-operation with Russia, including energy savings, rationalising energy production in Russia, transport infrastructure safety, European investment potential, relations between producer and consumer countries, the creation of an EU-Russia energy technology centre, and preconditions for the supply of electricity.
Transport. The Commissioner will discuss the strengthening of cooperation with Russia over Galileo; co-operation over pan-European corridors; co-operation in terms of training ships' crews; the opening of Russia's internal river network to EU companies and airspace, where the Commissioner will be seeking solutions to two major problems:
- the ban on "chapter 2" planes in European airspace. These very noisy aircraft have been banned from EU airspace as from 1 April 2002 under a 1992 directive.
In May 2001, the Russians challenged this directive, and the Commission agreed that the Union Member States should grant exemption for non-regular flights for a limited duration. While talks on these issues are moving forward with Mediterranean countries, Russia maintains reductions on the frequency of flights by Scandinavian and Dutch companies over its territory.
- Flights over Siberia by European companies. The Russians make European companies pay a toll to cross over Siberia on a case-by-case basis. The EU hopes to find one rule for all.
Finally, Loyola de Palacio also hopes to promote even closer air dialogue with the Russians and discuss the possibility of establishing generalised cooperation with Russia and Central Europe in the air traffic field.