Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-10-21-Speech-2-291"
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, first of all I would ask you to excuse me, and I thank Mrs Ferrero-Waldner for having spoken before me, since I have just come from the Conference of Committee Chairmen. Talks went on a little longer than expected owing to this morning’s debate, with the President-in-Office of the Council taking the floor and voting time taking place. So please accept my apologies.
I would remind you that we need Russia in order to face global challenges, such as the fight against terrorism, climate change or the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The European Union has made this choice, and we believe that it is in Russia’s interest to make this choice, and this is why we truly wish to continue this dialogue.
The forthcoming Summit of 14 November will provide the opportunity to examine the various dimensions of the relationship which we must have with Russia, and we must pursue a constructive engagement to determine whether Russia hopes to take full advantage of this dialogue. However, we should continue this dialogue, as the President-in-Office of the Council indicated this morning, without compromising the fundamental principles which lie at the heart of European integration.
Dialogue with Russia can only be based on respect for the sovereignty of states, the rule of law and common rules. In this context, Russia’s accession to an organisation such as the World Trade Organisation is in our mutual interest. Indeed, it would allow numerous contentious issues, which affect a certain number of Member States, to be settled.
I am thinking of the law on timber exports and Siberian overflight taxes. We also believe, in line with discussions which also took place this morning, that our commitment to closer economic and trade relations with Russia is important. Here too, we must have a zone with Russia which is more clearly defined at economic and trade level, and we must contribute, if possible, to creating a common economic space for the European Union and Russia.
In this respect, we will naturally continue to impress on Russia the importance of transparency, reciprocity and non-discrimination in the energy field. This also holds true in a broader sense for the issue of investments insofar as European Union companies operating in Russia are often faced with real problems which currently have no satisfactory solution.
It is also clear that during the Summit we should discuss the impact of the financial crisis with Russia. This is a new issue, and an important one for the European Union. It is also important for Russia, for investment policies and for EU-Russia trade policies.
We shall also reiterate, as I already mentioned, our concerns over meeting commitments on human rights, democracy and the rule of law. At international level, we shall tackle all the cooperation issues regarding our common neighbourhood and, of course, those of current interest following the Georgian conflict. We shall, however, also tackle international issues of mutual interest, such as the Middle East, Iran and Afghanistan.
In conclusion, I would like to say that it is in our interests to continue dialogue with Russia, indeed to strengthen it. We believe that this is the only voice which will allow Russia to make progress and ensure that we have a future based on increasingly shared values. We must learn from what happened in Georgia and strive to build constructive, balanced relations with Russia, and try to construct a long-term strategic partnership with this country. Far from moving us away from this goal, the Georgian conflict must, on the contrary, strengthen it in the context, once again, of what the European Union’s identity represents with respect to other partners who may not always have the same interests as ours in their relations with Russia.
As Mrs Ferrero-Waldner pointed out, we are effectively at a crossroads in EU-Russia relations, especially after the Georgian conflict. Following the Extraordinary European Council of 1 September, the Council discussed this on 13 October, as Mrs Ferrero-Waldner said. At that time it stated that, following deployment by the European Union of an independent civilian observer mission in Georgia, troops had withdrawn from the areas adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia. This marked an essential additional step in the implementation of the agreements of 12 August and 8 September, concluded with the mediation of the European Union, with regard to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia – as I have already had the chance to tell your Committee on Foreign Affairs on several occasions.
The European Union will continue to call on the parties to pursue implementation of their commitments in the framework of the discussions provided for in the agreements of 12 August and 8 September of this year.
You will be aware that these talks began in Geneva on 15 October under the auspices of the European Union, the United Nations and the OSCE. For the preparation and conducting of these negotiations, we have a Special Representative for the crisis in Georgia, Pierre Morel, who has been doing an excellent job. The first meeting, held on 15 October, enabled the parties concerned to meet directly.
Obviously, it is all going to take a long time. It is a lengthy process, but, after all, when we remember what the usual peace processes consist of, because we recall the situation in the Balkans, the fact that there has been a meeting enabling all parties to meet directly itself marks an important stage, even though we know that the path will certainly be long, as I said.
The next meeting in the process will be held in Geneva on 18 November. We are hoping that the parties will commit to finding a pragmatic solution for continuing the discussions, which should allow all the outstanding issues to be dealt with, in particular arrangements for security and stability, including in the upper Kodori Valley and in the Akhalgori region, as well as, of course, the pressing matter of displaced persons.
The Union is determined to maintain its commitment to the process of resolving the conflicts in Georgia and reach a comprehensive settlement based on the principles of international law.
For the moment, more generally, the European Council has asked the Commission and the Council to carry out a full and thorough appraisal of EU-Russia relations with a view to the next Summit scheduled for 14 November. As the President-in-Office of the Council, President Sarkozy, said this morning, it is essential to talk to Russia, and it is in our interest, as relations with Russia are so important.
Mrs Ferrero-Waldner reminded us that it is an essential partnership: the European Union and Russia are interdependent, and clearly it is also through dialogue that we can ensure that the human rights situation improves in Russia and the region. It is in our interest to call on Russia to pursue the cooperation which both parties need."@en1
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