21 April 2004 18:07
Russian diplomats briefs Duma on relations with EU
Moscow, 21 April: The Russian policy towards the EU "is built on principles of equality and strategic
partnership," Vladimir Chizhov, Russian deputy foreign minister, said in the State Duma today [21 April].
He said that "at present Russia and the EU are completing their work on a protocol to the agreement on
partnership and cooperation, and also on a joint statement". Chizhov added that "the protocol is a legally
binding document, which is approved by both sides". He said that questions of "Kaliningrad transit and the
position of the Russian-speaking minority in Latvia and Estonia have not been resolved".
"We think these questions to be very important," Chizhov said. The diplomat added that "future
contacts, in particular the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the EU Commission President Romano
Prodi on Thursday [22 April], will be used to solve the remaining questions positively". "After that, the
government will submit the protocol to be ratified by the Duma. If we fail to reach agreement, there are additional
scenarios, however we would not like to use them," Chizhov said.
He said that the processes of expansion and internal transformation of the EU would result "in the appearance of
a new geopolitical structure consisting of 25 countries with the population of 450m people on Russia's
borders". "The EU is turning into a quasi-state with political and even military functions inherent to
it," the deputy minister said. He added that "in absolute figures the Russia-EU turnover can surpass 100bn
euros a year with a considerable positive balance in favour of Russia." The diplomat also said that "currently
the EU depends on Russia for 70 per cent of its energy supplies".
Chizhov said that "politically the Russian and EU approaches are close in many respects, including the
assessment of security threats." "The expansion has certain risks for our cooperation. Some of them are
aggravated by prejudices against Russia," the deputy minister said.
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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