Brussels, 16/05/2006 (Agence Europe) - EU Foreign Ministers, who met on Monday in the “General Affairs/External Relations” Council, are ready for the EU-Russia Summit to be held in Sochi on the Black Sea on 25 May, with Vladimir Putin taking part. The agenda will comprise: a) the state of play with the roadmaps for the creation of four “common areas” (economic area; freedom, security and justice area; external security area; and research, education and culture area); b) energy policy; c) institutional future of EU-Russian relations (the current partnership and cooperation agreement comes to an end in 2007); d) international and regional policy issues, notably Iran, the Middle East (peace process and aid to the Palestinians), Western Balkans, nuclear non-proliferation. It has been agreed by both sides that there will be no joint statement or joint press conference. Only the EU intends to publish a short press statement, diplomats said.
In the current context, energy will, without any doubt, dominate proceedings. An information memo presented at the Council on Monday stressed that the EU is ready to strengthen energy relations with Moscow, but based on reciprocity (in terms of market access, infrastructure, investments and environmental aspects as well as the essential principle of transparency and openness to competition). The EU also intends to push for “concrete results” on the ratification of the Energy Charter by Russia. A meeting of the EU-Russia Privileged Partnership Council (PPC), at Energy Minister level, is planned for the second half of the year.
With the expiry of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in 2007, the Summit is expected to confirm both parties' intention to negotiate a new and more ambitious agreement, including notably the prospect of “enhanced trade and economic integration” once Russia has become a member of the WTO. In order to avoid a legal vacuum, say diplomats, Moscow and Brussels have already decided to keep the PCA in force provisionally until the new agreement comes into effect.
The EU also wants to use the fact that this year Russia holds the Presidency of the G-8 and the Council of Europe to seek “renewed commitment” from Moscow, and practical measures to demonstrate its commitment to common values, particularly with regard to democratic principles, human rights and fundamental freedoms. These values not only form part of several international conventions signed by Moscow, they are also form the basis of the EU-Russia partnership. At the Summit, the EU will also call on Moscow finally to ratify the border agreement with Estonia, and to sign and ratify the border agreement with Latvia. Russia should also begin immediately to define its border with Lithuania, the EU will stress at Sochi. On the international level, the EU will welcome Russia's positive and constructive stance on a number of the main international issues of the moment, such as the Iranian nuclear programme, international aid to the Palestinians, UN reform, combating terrorism and nuclear non-proliferation. The EU will call on Moscow to reiterate the principle that the “frozen conflicts” in Transnistria, South Ossetia and Abkhazia can only be resolved by respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova and Georgia. The EU will also express its concern on the human rights situation in Chechnya and in the region.