Brussels, 18/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - In a resolution common to all political groups, the Parliament stresses the importance of EU/Russia relations but expresses concern about the human rights situation and democracy in the country. Adopted on Wednesday, the resolution, which results from a debate that had taken place during the plenary end November (EUROPE 9318), recognises the essential strategic nature of the partnership with Russia, placing emphasis on “the importance of unity and solidarity among the Member States” in relations with Moscow. Looking at the results of the EU-Russia summit held in Helsinki on 24 November (EUROPE 9314), MEPs call on Finnish and German EU Presidencies to work for the adoption of a negotiating brief for a new partnership with Moscow. At the same time, they recommend that the “European Union show the necessary solidarity with all Member States, in particular Poland, which is suffering discrimination under Russia's trade policy”. The Parliament also expressed concern about the declarations made by Russian authorities that threatened to impose restrictions on European agricultural goods after accession by Romania and Bulgaria.
MEPs expressed their “serious concern” as regards respect for “human rights, democracy, freedom of expression and the rights of civil society and individuals to challenge and hold the authorities accountable for their action”. The resolute defence of human rights and democracy should be one of the key principles of any engagement with Russia, they stress, deploring the “use of torture in Russian prisons and police stations and in secret detention centres in Chechnya” as well as the “continuing series of murders of prominent persons, such as Anna Politkovskaya, who oppose the current Russian government”. In this respect, the European Parliament states it is also deeply concerned at the “measures implemented by Russia against Georgia” and calls on the Russian authorities “to stop the ongoing repression of ethnic Georgians living in Russia”.
MEPs welcome the “agreement reached at the summit to phase out the fees Russia charges EU airlines flying over Siberia”, thus clearing one of the last hurdles to EU support for Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The resolution finally underlines the “strategic importance of cooperation on energy (…) with the objective of avoiding oligopolistic market structures and diversifying the European Union's energy supply”. (ab)