Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-10-21-Speech-2-290"
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"en.20081021.39.2-290"2
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"Mr President, the European Union’s relationship with Russia is one of the most challenging of our times. On the one hand, we see a complex web of joint activities and interwoven interests. On the other, we see the backdrop of events in Georgia.
For us, it is clear: Europe upholds values and established norms of international conduct, and we stand by these in all circumstances. These include respect of territorial integrity and the peaceful resolution of disputes. The European Council has noted with satisfaction that Russian troops have withdrawn from the zones adjacent to South Ossetia and Abkhazia as an essential step to implementing the six-point plan. Talks in Geneva were launched last week and this was another important step forward. There is, of course, a great deal more to do.
Tomorrow I will host a donors’ conference for Georgia to mobilise funding for the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure and the reintegration of internally displaced people, and to accelerate Georgia’s economic recovery from the conflict. In cooperation with Parliament, I intend to devote up to EUR 500 million for this purpose, and I should like to express my thanks to the chairs of the Committee on Budgets and the Committee on Foreign Affairs, who have written to me expressing their support for this approach.
The review of EU-Russia relations with the European Council, as requested, will present a comprehensive overview of the many strands of the relationship, from our efforts to support Russia’s accession to the WTO, to visa facilitation, customs cooperation, educational exchanges and cooperation in scientific research. This review should guide us in approaching all our current activities with Russia and those which are currently on hold. It should be discussed at the next General Affairs Council on 10 November 2008, at which I hope we will be able to find the right understanding on pursuing negotiations on a new EU-Russia agreement.
I say this because I know of no better way to pursue our own interests and make our concerns heard. On the other hand, we must not behave as though nothing has happened. In all that we do, we must ensure and make clear that we have a very clear assessment of our goals and ensure that the EU stands behind these goals as a united force.
It is perhaps fitting that we are holding this debate today on the eve of tomorrow’s international donors’ conference that, as I said, I will preside over with the World Bank and the French and the Czech current and future presidencies.
The European Union will continue to play its role, as we have done throughout this crisis, as a constructive, reliable partner, guided by its values and making a decisive contribution to stability and to peace.
The European Council has asked for a review of EU-Russia relations and this reflection takes place in the context of events which have cast a serious shadow over the EU-Russian relationship. The violation of Georgia’s territorial integrity with the use of force and Russia’s unilateral recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia remain unacceptable, and we cannot share the principles of foreign policy recently articulated in Moscow, including the resurgence of spheres of influence.
Therefore, the ongoing review has to make a rather sober assessment of the EU’s own self-interest in this relationship. Yet, at the same time, economic and trade relations between the European Union and Russia are strong, and getting stronger. Russia is already our third-most important trading partner and we see growth rates of up to 20% a year. Energy is a major factor, but there is also impressive growth in services.
With its recent high growth rates and emerging middle class, Russia is an important emerging market, right on our doorstep, that offers opportunities for EU business, notwithstanding the effects of the present financial crisis. The European Union is a major investor in Russia, accounting for 80% of cumulative foreign investment. A significant share of Russian foreign reserves is in euro, making Russia one of the largest holders of euro-denominated assets in the world.
For all these reasons, we have a stake in the continuing growth of the Russian economy and in supporting Russia’s quest for modernisation, including the development of a truly independent judiciary able to enforce contracts. This is in line with the emphasis which President Medvedev has placed on the importance of the rule of law in Russia.
The security of energy supply and demand is a key component of our relationship. EU Member States are major buyers of Russian energy products and this is unlikely to change in the short to medium term.
The relationship is one of interdependence, not dependence. Exports to the European Union have made an important contribution to the impressive growth rates Russia has seen over the past five to six years. Nevertheless, a great deal of work has yet to be done to build up a genuine energy partnership based on the principles enshrined in the Energy Charter Treaty, namely transparency, reciprocity and non-discrimination.
Even more importantly, Russia is a key geopolitical actor, whose constructive involvement in international affairs is a necessary precondition for an effective international community. We therefore engage on Iran, the Middle East, Afghanistan, the Balkans and elsewhere, as well as in multilateral fora. We also have a common interest in pursuing the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. In all these areas, cooperation is not always easy but we need to continue. Greater cooperation in the area of freedom, security and justice is helping to tackle threats posed by challenges such as terrorism and organised crime.
It is through dialogue we have built up that we are able to discuss areas such as human rights. Consultations are taking place in Paris today. We will once again remind Russia of its commitments as a member of the Council of Europe and the OSCE, particularly regarding freedom of the press and the events unfolding in Ingushetia, for instance, as well as other human rights issues."@en1
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