Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-06-08-Speech-3-672-000"
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"en.20110608.26.3-672-000"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, Russia is undoubtedly a very important partner for the European Union, but – as the Commissioner has already said – a very difficult one. I hope that the negotiations will not take too long. Unfortunately, however, they will not be completed as fast as Mrs Oomen-Ruijten imagines. During the process, we need to have a dialogue both with the official elected representatives and with the representatives of civil society, who are often closer to us on matters of democracy and human rights.
The idea of a Partnership for Modernisation between the European Union and Russia is a good one. However, Russia also needs to play its part. We need more democracy and less corruption. We still hear many investors complaining of legal uncertainty, particularly as regards taxes. Above all – as the Commissioner has already mentioned – we need to prepare speedily for Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and WTO membership. In the area of energy policy, we need Russia to be obliged to acknowledge the principles of a transparent and fair energy policy. There is a lot that Russia can do itself, particularly as regards energy efficiency, where there remain many shortcomings.
Also as regards energy, I would like to bring up something that concerns its neighbour – indeed our common neighbour – Ukraine. Right now, Russia is once again attempting to use the issue of energy and energy prices as a political weapon. We must absolutely reject that. We are committed to the freedom of Ukraine to decide in which markets it wishes to be present and where it wishes to operate. We do, after all, want to have trade relations and a trade agreement with Ukraine. Russia should not put pressure on Ukraine in this area by giving it the option of either joining the customs union with Kazakhstan and Belarus or paying a high energy price. That is something we reject.
Again, as regards neighbours, we also expect Russia to adhere to the agreements in the treaties in respect of Georgia and to withdraw its troops back to those areas where they were present before the conflict. We also hope that Russia will make a positive contribution to resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. On both sides, here it is not a matter of supplying arms, but rather of peaceful mediation between the two sides.
The Commissioner has already mentioned the importance of visa liberalisation. It is particularly important for relations between individuals that people enjoy as much freedom of movement as possible between Russia and the European Union. I hope that we will soon make some progress on this.
One crucial issue, however, will be how the next elections are held. Russia needs to be aware that the world, and the democratic world in Europe in particular, will be watching closely to see how these elections are carried out; whether the parties are registered correctly and fairly; and also whether certain individuals or certain parties are excluded from the elections at the outset. That is something that should be made clear to Russia at the summit. We want to see proper, fair elections in Russia too.
Russia still has a lot of catching up to do in terms of its economy. However, Russia is ready for democracy. We want to see democracy in Russia, just as much as the citizens of Russia want this themselves. That is our desire and our vision. Russia needs to realise that democracy will be good for Russia too."@en1
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