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EU-RUSSIA SUMMIT
VICTOR MIRONENKO,
Сhief research fellow of the Institute of Europe, the Russian Academy of Sciences, Head of the Center for EU and Eastern Europe Studies, Moscow
In the run-up to the EU-Russia Summit Russia’s President Vladimir Putin made an introductory speech, admitting that no breakthroughs were expected to follow the meeting with the EU authorities, which has recently been concluded in the city of Sochi.
True, as many observers have stated, no new ideas and solutions were introduced, as neither Russia, nor the EU had any. On the whole, the meeting was of a token character and looked as a preliminary session ahead of the G8 summit in St.-Petersburg.
The relations between Russia and EU today are cooler than ever, they are in the state of limbo “between war and peace”. Putin actually did say something about the drive for forming a new pattern of cooperation. Apparently, he meant the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation which expires in 2007.
Russia suggests substituting it by a new agreement, but nothing specific has been said on the subject so far: it’s unclear what new ideas, if any, will be implemented in the draft.
Among the tangible results is closing a protocol about visa facilitation for certain categories of the Russian population, which is just a step towards the complete visa-free policy.
In connection with this complications are inevitable. The visa-free policy is still a long way to go. The readmission issue also hinders that, and no wander why. Looks like the EU wants to shuffle off the expenses from the deportation of the illegal immigrants who came to the EU via Russia from the third country, on to Russia.
But undoubtedly, the toughest issues on the agenda are the Energy Charter Treaty, the Lisbon Treaty of 1994, and the gas conflict with Ukraine at the beginning of the year. The compromise on these issues hasn’t been found in course of the summit.
All in all, Russia signed the Energy Charter Treaty. However, it wasn’t ratified. Russia is not happy about the fact that “Gazprom” may lose its privilege of conducting all gas transportation systems, which also covers Ukraine’s territory.
Compromise in this sphere is highly unlikely. So the major talks are to take place in course of the G8 summit.
Here come the conclusions: the summit was neither good nor bad, both sides exchanged information, and in addition – a facilitated visa policy.
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