Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-06-18-Speech-1-158"
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"en.20070618.16.1-158"2
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"Right now there are a great many important issues on the agenda that concern the EU’s economic relations with Russia, especially the partnership agreement and the negotiations concerning possible Russian membership of the World Trade Organisation.
In the debate concerning economic relations with Russia, there appear to be two opposing extremes. On the one hand there are those who see Russia’s growth into a great economic power as a threat and who want to prevent this and make us independent of Russia. On the other hand, there are those who want to trade with Russia, at whatever price, and who are prepared to do anything to ingratiate themselves with the leaders in Moscow and to secure their own access to Russia’s natural resources.
I do not support any of these perspectives. We have a lot to gain from increased trade with Russia and increased economic integration. Russia has still more to gain, however. It is not only the economy with which we are concerned here. The fact is that trade brings us closer to each other and strengthens democracy and the rule of law in the countries concerned. In that way we would be establishing Russia firmly within the European community of interests.
We must also make demands of Russia, however. We must demand that it respect democracy, the market economy and the rule of law. Too many people today appear to believe that Russia is fated to reject universal principles and they blindly accept that Russia is violating those principles. They are wrong to do so, however. To prostrate ourselves in the face of Russian pressure or provocation would lead nowhere. It would purely and simply weaken the forces for good in the country. If, on the other hand, we act together and form a united front in the EU, we shall make them listen. The fact is, they have to listen. Certainly, Russia is an important trading partner of ours, but what a lot of people forget is that we are a still more important trading partner for them.
We should also demand that Russia become a member of the World Trade Organisation. It is important to bring Russia into the WTO, whereupon it would be integrated into rule-based world trade. However, we must ensure that they intend not only to be members, but to comply with the rules. The situation must not be like that in, for example, the Council of Europe, of which they became members only then not to concern themselves with human rights. That is a situation we cannot afford. The WTO cannot afford to have Russia act in that way.
Last but not least, the European Energy Charter is relevant in this connection. I should like to go further into this subject on another occasion. It is one on which the EU must show a united front and force Russia to listen."@en1
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