Brussels, 25/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Friday, the European Council endorsed the agreement secured at Tuesday's General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on the question of transit to and from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. "The European Council noting the aim of further developing the strategic partnership between the EU and Russia agrees to make a special effort to accommodate the concerns of all parties involved concerning the future transit of persons between Kaliningrad and other parts of Russia. The European Council stresses the need for all parties to fully respect the sovereign right of any state to safeguard the security of its citizens by controlling its borders and the movement of people and goods into, on and through its territory. The European Council highlights the right of any state to introduce visas, including for transit. The European Council acknowledges the unique situation of Kaliningrad Region as part of the Russian Federation".
You may recall that the agreement reached at the beginning of the week (see EUROPE of 23 October, p.5) provides for: (1) Lithuania being part of the first group of candidate countries to fully take part in the Schengen acquis; (2) the EU enshrining in Lithuania's accession treaty that the decision to put in place direct trains without visas will only be taken after its accession and that this will not be placed into question or delayed by the Kaliningrad issue; (3) the decision to undertake a feasibility study on putting in place direct trains without visas being taken with Lithuania's agreement, so as to allow for its realisation as soon as possible.
According to the Lithuanian press, the country's Prime Minister is said to be satisfied with the Luxembourg conclusions, whereas the Republic's President, while agreeing with his Prime Minister, would have preferred to secure a date for his country's accession to the Schengen acquis, as well as for EU membership.