EU ministers warn Putin over Georgia

[milmor_1]

Ah the reasoning of politicians

Independent Online Edition > Europe

From Stephen Castle in Luxembourg
Published: 18 October 2006

Europe set the scene for a showdown with Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, at a summit this week, after it made a blunt call on Moscow to stop its harassment of Georgians.

A toughly worded statement agreed by EU foreign ministers urged Russia "not to pursue measures targeting Georgians in the Russian Federation."

However France and Greece, which led efforts to tone down the text, agreed to it only when it also made reference to a United Nations resolution which called for restraint from Georgia.

Yesterday's communiqué, which was stronger than expected, comes just three days before Mr Putin attends a dinner with EU leaders at their summit in Lahti in Finland. Poland and other former Soviet-bloc nations made clear their determination to take Moscow to task both over Georgia and human rights following the murder of the campaigning journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

However ministers insisted that, in calling on Georgia to lower its rhetoric, they were taking a balanced approach. Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary, said of Friday's meeting in Lahti: "I don't think people will hide from any concerns but I think they will look to tone the temperature down and for peaceful resolution of whatever disputes have arisen and for respect for Georgian territorial integrity."

The crisis began when Georgia arrested four Russian officers it accused of spying last month. Though the men were swiftly released Russia has cut transport and communications links to its neighbour which has angered Mr Putin with its pursuit of closer ties with Nato.

Moscow has also cracked down on Georgian-run businesses and on citizens of the country living in Russia, deporting hundreds of people it says are in the country illegally.

Meanwhile the EU's foreign policy supremo, Javier Solana, said it would be "very difficult" to avoid discussion of the fatal shooting of Ms Politkovskaya.

Mr Putin has suggested her killers might have been out to stain his government and insists they will be punished.

Russian diplomats believe that Friday's summit will be dominated by energy issues rather than human rights or Georgia.

Europe set the scene for a showdown with Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, at a summit this week, after it made a blunt call on Moscow to stop its harassment of Georgians.

A toughly worded statement agreed by EU foreign ministers urged Russia "not to pursue measures targeting Georgians in the Russian Federation."

However France and Greece, which led efforts to tone down the text, agreed to it only when it also made reference to a United Nations resolution which called for restraint from Georgia.

Yesterday's communiqué, which was stronger than expected, comes just three days before Mr Putin attends a dinner with EU leaders at their summit in Lahti in Finland. Poland and other former Soviet-bloc nations made clear their determination to take Moscow to task both over Georgia and human rights following the murder of the campaigning journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

However ministers insisted that, in calling on Georgia to lower its rhetoric, they were taking a balanced approach. Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary, said of Friday's meeting in Lahti: "I don't think people will hide from any concerns but I think they will look to tone the temperature down and for peaceful resolution of whatever disputes have arisen and for respect for Georgian territorial integrity."
The crisis began when Georgia arrested four Russian officers it accused of spying last month. Though the men were swiftly released Russia has cut transport and communications links to its neighbour which has angered Mr Putin with its pursuit of closer ties with Nato.

Moscow has also cracked down on Georgian-run businesses and on citizens of the country living in Russia, deporting hundreds of people it says are in the country illegally.

Meanwhile the EU's foreign policy supremo, Javier Solana, said it would be "very difficult" to avoid discussion of the fatal shooting of Ms Politkovskaya.

Mr Putin has suggested her killers might have been out to stain his government and insists they will be punished.

Russian diplomats believe that Friday's summit will be dominated by energy issues rather than human rights or Georgia.

[Woodmonkey]

However France and Greece, which led efforts to tone down the text, agreed to it only when it also made reference to a United Nations resolution which called for restraint from Georgia.

< snip >

However ministers insisted that, in calling on Georgia to lower its rhetoric, they were taking a balanced approach. Margaret Beckett, the Foreign Secretary, said of Friday's meeting in Lahti: "I don't think people will hide from any concerns but I think they will look to tone the temperature down and for peaceful resolution of whatever disputes have arisen and for respect for Georgian territorial integrity."

Somehow I think that tiny little Georgia will be easy to sacrifice.

Yesterday's communiqué, which was stronger than expected, comes just three days before Mr Putin attends a dinner with EU leaders at their summit in Lahti in Finland. Poland and other former Soviet-bloc nations made clear their determination to take Moscow to task both over Georgia and human rights following the murder of the campaigning journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

Those countries know what it's like to exist under Russia's heel. I hope they stay vocal in defense of this tiny country.

[milmor_1]

Yet more on this subject

Putin defies EU with threat to Georgia
By Stephen Castle in Lahti
Published: 21 October 2006
Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, gave no ground to EU leaders yesterday as he used a summit to defend Moscow's treatment of foreign oil firms and warned Georgia that its actions could prompt "bloodshed".

Challenged over Russia's human rights and the pressure it deploys on European oil companies, Mr Putin said he agreed with the EU over access to Russia's markets and denied standing in the way of European firms.

But Mr Putin heightened the rhetoric in his dispute with Georgia, arguing that the southern neighbour was stirring regional conflict and what he wanted was "that bloodshed will be avoided".

European heads of government sought to close ranks on energy security and human rights in the run-up to last night's dinner with Mr Putin at an EU summit in Finland. Germany and Poland, two countries that have clashed on energy policy with Russia, united to demand that the Kremlin stops discriminating against European firms. However, France injected a discordant note by arguing that morality and economics should not be mixed

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, said: "We offer security in contracts and we expect the same from Russia, namely also legal security in contracts and access to the Russian market."

The Polish president, Lech Kaczynski, followed a similar line, arguing: " European investments in Russia have to be as secure as Polish investments in Finland or vice-versa."

The show of unity was significant because Poland has previously attacked Germany's co-operation with Russia over a pipeline under the Baltic.

The same view was voiced by Tony Blair who said: "If we are going to have this two-way trade with Russia, there has to be clear rules obeyed on both sides. It is important that if we have a business relationship based on energy, it is a business relationship not a political relationship."

However, Mr Putin gave away nothing of substance, reaffirming that Moscow will not ratify an energy charter that would liberalise the market in Russia.

"We are not against the principles that are included in the charter but we believe certain provisions of the charter should be defined better," he said.

Heavily dependent on Russia for fuel and with demand rising, European governments have been struggling to find a way to deal with Mr Putin who has not been afraid to use his country's status as the world's largest fuel exporter as an economic weapon.

Earlier this year, natural gas to Ukraine was shut off. Since then, the Russian authorities have applied acute pressure on Shell, threatening its Sakhalin-2 plant on environmental grounds, and shutting foreign capital out of development of the Shtokman gas field.

Georgia's brief arrest last month of four Russian officers it accused of spying prompted Russia to impose a postal and transport blockade on its southern neighbour. It has also launched a crackdown on Georgian-run businesses and Georgians living in Russia, deporting hundreds of people it says are in the country illegally.

Russia now sends 60 per cent of its exports to the EU, resulting in a trade surplus of ¤50bn (£33bn) or more a year. For the EU, Russia is the single biggest oil and gas supplier, accounting for one-fifth of total EU energy.

Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, gave no ground to EU leaders yesterday as he used a summit to defend Moscow's treatment of foreign oil firms and warned Georgia that its actions could prompt "bloodshed".

Challenged over Russia's human rights and the pressure it deploys on European oil companies, Mr Putin said he agreed with the EU over access to Russia's markets and denied standing in the way of European firms.

But Mr Putin heightened the rhetoric in his dispute with Georgia, arguing that the southern neighbour was stirring regional conflict and what he wanted was "that bloodshed will be avoided".

European heads of government sought to close ranks on energy security and human rights in the run-up to last night's dinner with Mr Putin at an EU summit in Finland. Germany and Poland, two countries that have clashed on energy policy with Russia, united to demand that the Kremlin stops discriminating against European firms. However, France injected a discordant note by arguing that morality and economics should not be mixed

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, said: "We offer security in contracts and we expect the same from Russia, namely also legal security in contracts and access to the Russian market."

The Polish president, Lech Kaczynski, followed a similar line, arguing: " European investments in Russia have to be as secure as Polish investments in Finland or vice-versa."

The show of unity was significant because Poland has previously attacked Germany's co-operation with Russia over a pipeline under the Baltic.

The same view was voiced by Tony Blair who said: "If we are going to have this two-way trade with Russia, there has to be clear rules obeyed on both sides. It is important that if we have a business relationship based on energy, it is a business relationship not a political relationship."
However, Mr Putin gave away nothing of substance, reaffirming that Moscow will not ratify an energy charter that would liberalise the market in Russia.

"We are not against the principles that are included in the charter but we believe certain provisions of the charter should be defined better," he said.

Heavily dependent on Russia for fuel and with demand rising, European governments have been struggling to find a way to deal with Mr Putin who has not been afraid to use his country's status as the world's largest fuel exporter as an economic weapon.

Earlier this year, natural gas to Ukraine was shut off. Since then, the Russian authorities have applied acute pressure on Shell, threatening its Sakhalin-2 plant on environmental grounds, and shutting foreign capital out of development of the Shtokman gas field.

Georgia's brief arrest last month of four Russian officers it accused of spying prompted Russia to impose a postal and transport blockade on its southern neighbour. It has also launched a crackdown on Georgian-run businesses and Georgians living in Russia, deporting hundreds of people it says are in the country illegally.

Russia now sends 60 per cent of its exports to the EU, resulting in a trade surplus of ¤50bn (£33bn) or more a year. For the EU, Russia is the single biggest oil and gas supplier, accounting for one-fifth of total EU energy.

Independent Online Edition > Europe