Russia and EU search for points of common interests in pursuit of strategic cooperation
The leaderships of the Russian Federation and the European Union (EU) gathered in May at a summit in the Russian Far-East city of Khabarovsk on the Pacific Coast, where they once again confirmed their intents for deepening the existing cooperation, finding solutions to pressing issues of bilateral importance in areas, where Moscow and Brussels have common views and also to show flexibility and compromises, when searching for solutions to issues in areas, where they currently have divergent views on ways to move forward. The Russian delegation to the summit was headed by President Dmitry Medvedev, while the EU was represented by the EU triumvirate led by European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, and Czech Republic President Vaclav Klaus, who currently holds the EU rotating presidency, and other top ranking Brussels bureaucrats.
Speaking first in his capacity as the summit host in the final press conference, Medvedev noted that the logic underlying the choice of Khabarovsk as the venue for the Russia-EU Summit stemmed from the fact that the city sits on the farthest eastern border of the common space, which is generally called the ‘Big Europe.’ “Russia is a very large country, with lots of far-off and remote areas. It is important to let our European colleagues see how big the country really is, and the more our European partners learn and know about Russia and its regions, the better it will be for the development of the strategic partnership between Moscow and Brussels.”
Specifically, Medvedev noted that the choice of Khabarovsk, a very far city from Central Europe, as the venue for the May summit, has enabled Russia to create special, unparalleled atmosphere which, in its turn, allowed the summiteers to discuss different questions and issues of both bi- and multilateral importance to Russia and EU in a very constructive and open way. “These include areas, where both Moscow and Brussels have absolutely identical positions, and also the spheres, where some debatable issues still exist. In any case, the fact that we have continued to broaden the geography of EU-Russia summits and meetings is exceptionally productive.”
Areas of common views on bi- and multilateral cooperation
Despite the divergent views on some points and issues in their bi- and multilateral cooperation, the Khabarovsk summiteers displayed intents to search for and further develop the areas of common interests in their relationships and also try to find ways to bring their currently divergent views on other key issues into convergence. And, the subjects tabled on the summit’s agenda during the negotiations were, indeed, really extensive, ranging from issues of bilateral importance for only Russia and EU, including the maintenance of economic prosperity, sociopolitical stability and energy security on the continent, to vital international problems of strategically geopolitical importance to the whole world, such as the Middle East, the restive Caucasus region, evident in the rising political tensions between Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, the Balkans, namely the Kosovo issue, Afghanistan, etc.
The summiteers also paid special attention to today’s most pressing problems, namely, the global economic crisis and the measures being taken by the world’s leading countries to overcome them, and also the issue global energy security, including Russia’s new proposals on the creation of a new legal base for international cooperation in the sphere of energy security on the continent. The Russian and EU leaders also discussed ways to fast-tract the realizations of the so-called ‘Road Maps’ that were approved and adopted by both Moscow and Brussels in 2005, which provide clear-cut mechanisms for deepening cooperation between Russia and EU in the so-called ‘four all-European spaces,’ namely, economy, freedom, safety and justice. They also deliberated on the new and more comprehensive Basic Agreement that will replace the current Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation, with both Brussels and Moscow expressing their hopes that the adoption of the new agreement will go without unnecessary foot-dragging, and in complete observance of, and respect for, the interests of both parties.
The participants of the Khabarovsk summit also touched on the pressing international issues that are outside the general agenda of their bilateral cooperation, but which are vital for ensuring lasting peace on the continent. Specifically, these include the unresolved conflict situations in Cyprus, Kosovo, Caucasus, especially after the exacerbation of the conflict between Georgia and its breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and the unfolding tense political situations in Moldova after its recently hotly contested presidential election. Similarly, the traditional Middle East problems, notably, the Iranian nuclear program, Israeli-Palestinian drama, the complex social, economic and military-political situations in Afghanistan and Pakistan and the ways of finding lasting solutions and building permanent peace in these regions also came up at the summit.
Commenting on the outcomes of these key issues that incite equal concerns both in Moscow and Brussels, Medvedev specifically noted the frankness, constructability, declared interest and convergence of both parties’ views on most subjects. “It is pleasant and, in my opinion, also very important that our views on resolving the problematic situations in these different places across the globe are either identical or very close,” he noted. “Of course, there are also issues, where we currently disagree with each other, but that does not prevent us from continuing our dialog and trying to find constructive ways of overcoming our disagreements.”
“Russia is a very large country, with lots of remote areas, and the more our European partners know about Russia and its regions, the better it will be for the development of the strategic partnership between Moscow and Brussels.”
Speaking on behalf of the EU triumvirate, Solana highlighted the continental and global importance of the issues discussed in Khabarovsk, specifically noting the Middle East problems, where both Russia and EU now bear additional responsibility, following Moscow’s obligations to hold the first conference on the Middle-East problems later this year. “We will be glad to help Russia achieve successful results from the conference. We discussed this issue and also reviewed a set of other very important international subjects on our agenda.” One of these acute issues, according to Solana, is the current economic and financial problems that are confronting ordinary people everyday worldwide. “The state of the global economy is, certainly, the most important one. There are also other acute problems on the international arena,” he added. “But, as I have already noted, the world needs to move forward, and, therefore, we need to engage today in the search for solutions to all these problems.”
Barroso called on Russia and EU to work together in closer cooperation so as to successfully solve today’s problems, notably, the financial crisis, security issues, trade, energy reliability and ecology. “It is possible and necessary for us to work positively on these issues in order to achieve positive interdependence. I am confident that President Medvedev and Russia, as a major EU partner, share this spirit.” As an example of positive interdependence, Barroso cited the recent G20 summit in London, where the world’s leading economies pledged determination to jointly solve the current crisis and its negative fallouts, while avoiding protectionism in their national and regional economies. “And, it is time for us to carry out all the decisions adopted in London. We hope that this will be done both at the G8 Summit in Italy and G20 Summit in the United States later this year.”
Strategic partners’ divergent positions on other issues
One of the key issues, where both Moscow and Brussels currently have a divergent point of view, is their relationship to the existing Energy Charter. Specifically, the bone of contention stems from the fact that EU presently sees the charter as the only basis for ensuring energy security on the continent, while Russia, a non-signatory to the charter, does not consider it a legally binding for itself, and, consequently, cannot, in the opinion of Kremlin strategists, serve in its present edition as a strong foundation for ensuring energy security in Europe. “The issue of energy security is one of the key aspects of our cooperation. But I have already specially spelt this out for our European partners, and will reiterate once again: Russia is not a signatory to the Energy Charter and will not participate nor observe it in its current edition,” Medvedev said. However, Barroso noted that the EU position the charter is well-known. “The EU endorses the existing charter and the contract based on it as a legally binding document,” he added. “But today, it was important for us to understand that some of Medvedev’s new proposals on resolving this disagreement are worthy of consideration, and we shall think about them more closely during the review of the contract to the charter.”
Another issue of divergent views is the relationship to the recurrent gas crises on the continent and the Brussels’ ambiguous stance on defining the guilty party — between Russia and Ukraine — as the main cause of the crisis. Thus, feeding a question on Russia’s readiness to guarantee the non-recurrences of breakdowns in energy supply to the Europe, Medvedev noted that Russia never gave and does not intend to give such assurances. “For what sake,” the Russian president asked rhetorically. “There are no problems from our side, both with gas supplies and meeting our obligations. Such assurances should be given by those, who are supposed to pay for gas.” Medvedev, however, left a door opened, by noting that there is always an opportunity for cooperation in ensuring the stability of energy deliveries to Europe, an issue, which, like all economic processes, requires the availability of creditworthiness from counteragents. With regard to Ukraine, Medvedev noted that he has serious doubts in its financial solvency, notably, its capability to find the over $4bln urgently needed to pump 19.5bln.cub.metres of gas into its underground storages.
The presence of this volume of gas in Ukraine’s storages, according to Medvedev, is one of the major conditions necessary for guaranteeing uninterrupted gas deliveries to Europe. “But, Russia, as a Ukraine’s partner, is ready to help Kiev. But we would want a significant part of this work to be done by EU and other countries that are also interested in security of energy deliveries,” he added. “In other words, if this is a question of granting loans to Kiev, let’s help syndicate these loans. But everyone, and not only Russia, should be engaged in this.” From his part, Barroso, while failing to specifically name Ukraine as the culprit for the recurrent energy crises, noted, that EU certainly hopes that failures, similar to those that had led to serious negative consequences in EU countries and other European states in the past years, will not be repeated in the future. “The issue is that the EU has severely suffered from gas crises that had arisen outside the EU as a whole, and in member states particular,” he added. “Therefore, we ask Russia and, certainly, Ukraine to do their utmost best to prevent any crisis in the future as that will be harmful to the general atmosphere of our relationships.”
Assessment of the summit outcomes
Commenting on the results of the discussed issues and the ways mapped out for further deepening of the bilateral cooperation, Medvedev noted there are no doubts in the strategic character of the partnership between Russia and EU. “We believe that such partnership allows us to foresee and prevent the most complex threats and jointly solve new challenges, including the negative impacts of the global financial and economic crises. Therefore, on the whole, I would like to note that I’m very happy and satisfied with results of our teamwork at this summit.”
“The summit has increased the mutual understanding in our positions on many issues, which is so necessary and important for both parties.”
From his side, Klaus, speaking as the EU president, called the negotiations ‘very fruitful and productive.’ “On one hand, we received concrete details, and on the other, found a common approach to developing our relationships further,” he said. “I believe that the summit has increased the mutual understanding in our positions on many issues, which is so necessary and important for both parties.”
And, summarizing the results of the bilateral talks, the Czech president deemed it vital to note the friendly atmosphere, commitment and desire of the summiteers to fast-track the practical realizations of all the objectives outlined in the strategic partnership between Russia and EU aimed at achieving concrete results that will further pull both Russian and EU citizens together. “In conclusion, I would like to state for the record, that the EU — and I’m speaking both as the Czech president and EU chairman — is fully satisfied with the summit and its outcomes.”
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