Brussels, 16/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - Given the lack of sufficient progress on the main topics on the agenda (preparations for opening of negotiations on a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, implementation of alarm system to warn of problems with supply of Russian hydrocarbons, negotiations on Russia's accession to the WTO, resolution of the issue of flights over Siberia, implementation of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change and preparation of post-2012 negotiations, enhancement of cooperation in research and education), no concrete decision is expected at the EU-Russia Summit to be held in Samara on Thursday 17 and Friday 18 May. There will not even be a final joint statement or joint press release. However, the lack of tangible results in no way diminishes the importance of this meeting which comes at a difficult time in EU-Russia relations because of the tensions created by the Russian embargo on Polish agricultural products, the shifting of the Soviet monument in Tallinn in Estonia and Lithuania's unhappiness over the Druzhba oil pipeline (see EUROPE 9426), said the German presidency of the EU on Wednesday. “It is important for this Summit to go ahead, because it is important to maintain dialogue, even in difficult times, to rebuild a base of confidence” with Moscow, presidency sources told press. The main aim of the Summit, then, will be to confirm the interdependence of the EU and Russia, to highlight common interests and to reaffirm the desire by both parties to develop their “strategic partnership”. The German presidency says that it is “encouraging” that, despite the problems over opening negotiations on a new agreement, President Putin has never questioned the need for a new and more ambitious agreement with the EU. Moscow has already indicated that it is ready to extend the current PCA, which is due to expire at the end of this year, until such time as the new agreement is in place.
“The EU will speak with one voice” on the Russian ban on Polish agricultural products and also on the Estonian case and Lithuanian criticisms, German presidency sources stressed. The presidency wants to be “the advocate of all member states”. Furthermore, it says, the Russian ban on Polish products is a problem for the whole European Union, “because it is a matter in which the Community has competence” and also “it is not a specifically Polish problem”. It is, therefore, wrong to say, as some in Russia do, that Poland has taken EU-Russia relations “hostage”, the presidency says.
In international politics, the main topics of discussion will be Kosovo (the EU has re-affirmed its support for the Ahtisaari proposal, German presidency sources have said), Iran's nuclear programme (Javier Solana is due to meet Iranian negotiation Larijani on 31 May), the Middle East and Sudan. The human rights and fundamental freedoms (notably those of the press) situations and the treatment of NGOs in Russia will also be raised by the EU, as will the on-going investigations into the murders of Anna Politkovskaya and Alexander Litvinyenko. However, the US anti-missile shield in Europe is not officially on the agenda, “but if President Putin raises it, the EU will answer that this issue should be discussed by NATO and Russia” and that the NATO-Russia permanent joint council is the appropriate forum to discuss it, presidency sources said.
In relation to Russia's accession to the WTO, the Summit, according to a Community source, is likely to have a “relatively cosmetic” discussion on the progress of current bilateral negotiations. There remain technical obstacles which do not allow the EU to support Russia's accession to the WTO “at any price”, a Commission spokesman said on 8 May (see EUROPE 9422). Several outstanding technical problems raised by the Europeans (differentiated tariffs on Russian wood exports, Russian rail duties for the transport of goods discriminating between national and international destinations, very high Russian import duties on products like agricultural harvesting machines, Russian veterinary and phytosanitary measures which are not based on the WTO's SPS agreement, failure to properly apply intellectual property rights in Russia, Russian customs procedures which do not comply with WTO rules and Russian legislation which restricts foreign investment) are unlikely to be resolved at Samara where the parties will simply reaffirm their wish that Russia's accession to the WTO is quick, by the end of 2007 or in 2008.
The EU will be represented in Samara by Chancellor Angela Merkel, Council President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, High Representative Javier Solana, Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner. The Russian delegation will be led by President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Fratkov and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (hb/eh)