Strasbourg, 24/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - Ahead of the EU-Russia summit in Mafra, Portugal, on 26 October, MEPs from across the political spectrum called on the Portuguese presidency of the Council and the European Commission, on Wednesday 24 October, to take a very strong line over respect for the rule of law, human rights, press freedom, freedom of association and the sovereignty of neighbouring countries which were once part of the USSR. The MEPs' call for a tough line was not translated into a common message because, on request from the EPP-ED and PES Groups, the European Parliament will not be adopting any resolutions ahead of the Mafra summit that condemn democratic failings in Russia. This choice irritated the presidents of the ALDE and Green/EFA Groups on Tuesday, Graham Watson and Daniel Cohn-Bendit, and did not find favour among their colleagues. French Green MEP Hélène Flautre said on Wednesday that people had to be logical. The decision taken by the MEPs on Tuesday, she said, was already being interpreted by the Russian authorities as a huge success - no resolution and therefore no message. This was a real reward, she said, after the rejection of the official EP human rights delegation. Russian society is being held even more hostage to a propagandist press and sinking into dangerous nationalism, she added. The MEPs have postponed the adoption of a resolution until the next plenary but MEPs repeated their disappointment at the failure of the Samara summit while individually calling for a strong line to be taken against abuse by the Kremlin authorities.
The Mafra Summit will provide an opportunity to assess progress in relations which are evolving in a positive manner and continuing to improve, said Portuguese Minister for Europe, Manuel Lobo Antunes, presenting the summit's agenda, mainly devoted to economic issues. Trade, investment, Russia's application to join the World Trade Organisation and energy issues will be high on the agenda. A debate is expected between President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and Russian President, Vladimir Putin on the 3rd energy package (of EU internal market legislation). The EU and Russia are hoping to reach agreement on an early warning system for disruptions in energy supply. The Portuguese presidency is expecting clarifications over the inoperability of the Dhruzba pipeline in Lithuania. This problem simply adds to the general malaise, and confidence over energy issues has to be restored, said Lobo Antunes. The EU and Russia will, of course, discuss talks over a new partnership and cooperation agreement (PCA), still in deadlock due in part to the dispute over Polish meat exports. Culture, customs issues and international matters like Kosovo and Iran will also be discussed at Mafra. EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Walder said that another issue of discussion would be frank comments to Vladimir Putin from the European leaders on the rule of law, human rights and press freedom in Russia.
All MEPs are expecting a strong line and plain speaking from the EU at the summit, as became clear in the speeches on Wednesday. Speaking on behalf of the EPP-ED group, Spanish MEP Jose Ignacio Salafranca said the EU had an agreement which could neither be abandoned nor derogated from in terms of human rights, and it also had to firmly defend its principles. On behalf of the Socialist Group, Dutch MEP Jan Marinus Wiersma said that the conflicts in Transnistria and Georgia had to be discussed. He said the EU had to ensure the Russian presidential election on 2 December 2007 was held in the best possible manner. Russia might get chairmanship of the Council of Europe's parliamentary assembly and had to agree to work with the OSCE's observer missions, he added. Graham Watson said the Samara summit had shown up the weaknesses of the EU-Russia partnership on energy issues and human rights and the EU had to take a tough line on what was going wrong in Russia - the legal system, freedom, democracy and NGO work. Speaking on behalf of the UEN, Polish MEP Konrad Szymanski regretted the postponing of a resolution by the EP and called on the EU leaders to take a tougher line on human rights issues in their talks in Mafra than they had in Samara. Russia is sliding inexorably towards a dictatorship, towards a strong power prepared to use its secret services, a power which will continue to control the East. Journalists and NGOs are oppressed by the powers-that-be. Free elections are truly a masquerade and the reality of Russia today is kidnappings, death threats and assassinations, said Belgian MEP Bart Staes on behalf of the Greens. Polish PES MEP Elmar Brok and Austrian PES MEP Hannes Swoboda highlighted the need for Russia to respect the independence and sovereignty of neighbouring countries. Slamming the attacks on European diplomats, British EPP-ED MEP Christopher Beazley encouraged the EU's leaders to threaten to sever all partnerships with Russia if the EU were not given mutual respect. (E.H.)