Russia-EU PCA off Samara summit agenda

[december]

Russia-EU PCA off Samara summit agenda - German FM

21:33 | 14/ 05/ 2007



BRUSSELS, May 14 (RIA Novosti) - Talks on a new basic partnership agreement will not be up for discussion at the Russia-EU May 17-18 summit in Samara, Germany's foreign minister said Monday.

Negotiations on a new deal between Russia and the European Union to replace the current Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which expires in December, cannot go ahead until EU member Poland lifts its veto on the talks, imposed ahead of the Russia-EU summit in Helsinki last November.

"Despite my willingness and intentions we will not be able to start talks on the new agreement," Frank-Walter Steinmeier said. Germany currently chairs the EU.

Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski told a news conference earlier in the day that his country would keep its veto on the new PCA, imposed on the condition that Moscow first lifts its 2005 ban on Polish meat imports.

The European Commission, the EU executive body, said last week it had received a letter from the Russian agriculture minister reiterating Moscow's refusal to lift the meat ban, which Russia imposed claiming the meat was re-exported from third countries in breach of sanitary regulations.

"The veto remains in place. Russia has not lifted its sanctions and we maintain the veto," Kaczynski said.

Relations between Russia and Poland, a former Communist Bloc country that joined the EU in May 2004, have deteriorated dramatically in the past few years.

A string of recent diplomatic spats has increased mutual distrust between the two neighbors, prompting many politicians in Warsaw to conclude that the Kremlin is using the embargo on Polish imports as a political weapon.

The European Commission has said there were no grounds for an embargo on Polish products, but has admitted that Poland made deviations from European regulations on meat exports.

http://en.rian.ru/world/20070514/65472054.html

[december]

Why is Europe powerless to do anything

18:03 | 17/ 05/ 2007

MOSCOW. (Yekaterina Kuznetsova for RIA Novosti) - On May 18, Russia will play host to the Russia-EU summit in the Samara Region. The main news is expected from Poland, which has not lifted its veto on the EU-Russia talks on a new agreement on partnership and cooperation.

Lithuania has also declared that it may veto the talks because of Russia's failure to supply oil to the Baltic's only refinery since June 2006. On the eve of the summit, the European Parliament passed a resolution urging Russia and the European Union to make human rights a fundamental principle of their relations. The Russian press has received information to the effect that the summit will discuss Estonia's actions, notably, the transfer of a monument to Soviet soldiers. Russia is supposed to be to "blame," but not repenting.

The current Russia-EU relations boil down to the two key moments. First, the East European countries are confidently setting the tune in talking to Russia and most of them are infected with the Russophobia virus, as the president's special envoy to the EU, Sergei Yastrzhembsky, put it. Second, there is no united foreign policy as regards Russia, and for this reason instead of conducting constructive dialogue, Brussels, Strasbourg and national capitals are engaged in boring moralizing and keep reprimanding Russia.

Russia's relations with EU countries have been often marred by disputable issues but not once has any major EU nation raised them at a summit, although Moscow's ban on imports of Dutch flowers to Russia for phyto-sanitary reasons or Alexander Litvinenko's mysterious death in London last fall could have well been used for staging a row.

The attitude of East European countries is totally different - Poland and the Baltic nations do not have West Europe's diplomatic potential and do not want a compromise with Russia. Moreover, they have been deliberately trying to hurt it by exploiting its only doubtless element of national identity - the victory over Nazism. Why was Brussels silent when Poland shut down the Russian display at Auschwitz? Why did Estonia decide to move the Bronze Soldier on the very eve of the 62nd VE anniversary and not after the commemoration day?

In the meantime, the European Commission and ministers are ignoring the really serious reasons to delay the start of the talks - there are problems with political rights and the opposition and Russia's refusal to reform its penitentiary system. Instead, "concerns" are being voiced by European parliamentarians, who mix the ABM issue with human rights, the Bronze Soldier with Chechen prisons, Polish meat with Georgian wine.

The conclusion suggests itself - united Europe does not want to assume responsibility for creating a new model of relations with Russia. As a result, the European agenda for Russia is regrettably bleak. It includes obstacles to the conclusion of a new agreement on partnership and cooperation (that is, problems of the Polish agrarians and Lithuanian oilmen); energy security; Russia's WTO entry; and ratification of a treaty to simplify the visa issuing system. On the international front, the Europeans are planning to discuss Kosovo, Iran, the Middle East and prospects of frozen conflicts in Transdnestr and the Caucasus.

The sides hold irreconcilable positions on many of these issues. It is not clear why the EU wants to discuss Russia's WTO entry if it has already signed a protocol to this effect. Or will the Europeans revoke their signature under pressure of some forces? Discussion of energy security is likely to be idle talk. While building state-run capitalism, Russia is carrying out nationalization and monopolizing its raw materials industry - it has no intention to give foreigners access to its deposits or pipelines. This situation could change if the Europeans opened their energy market to Russian companies, but they have made it clear more than once that they are not going to let the "uncivilized Russians" take part in the retail.

Disputes over issues that do not have quick solutions are leading the sides away from crucial questions. Europe wants to include Russian pipes into the pan-European network and have free access to them, but they have never expressed readiness to make Russia part of the trans-European transportation system, especially to those projects that are aimed at increasing the passenger traffic and encourage the population's mobility, which is five times slower in Russia than in West Europe. Uniting Russia and Europe into a single transportation system with integrated routes is the best way of promoting rapprochement and mutually advantageous cooperation.

Russia would welcome proposals on cross border cooperation and exchange of experience; joint efforts against drug trafficking and trade in people; training of Russian police and border troops in procedures of respectful repatriation; and re-equipment of border control check-points to fit European standards (particularly if the Europeans promised to simplify or cancel visa procedures).

Engaged in debates of one and the same questions and the "destinies of the world," the Europeans may forget that tranquility in Europe is a big question. Official sources do not clarify whether the ABM issue will be discussed at all. The Europeans are not masters in their own house if they allow the United States to turn Eastern Europe into an instrument of threatening Russia. Vladimir Putin has already responded to this by talking about a potential moratorium on the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe. This is a signal for the Europeans. They might think that he has overreacted - but what do they expect from a country that they promised back in 1999 to integrate into their united economic and social space with a common security system?

The upcoming summit is not encouraging. Its agenda is being compiled by East European states that are settling old accounts and blocking dialogue between key regional players. Instead of starting consultations - even if unofficial - on new forms of cooperation with Russia, be it a privileged agreement on partnership, association or common market, the European bureaucrats have concluded that the agreement on partnership and cooperation can be simply extended. Accusing Russia of authoritarian rule, European officials are unable to do much about the situation. It seems that Brussels does not control EU relations with Russia.

http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20070517/65654258.html

[december]

Sticky issues for EU-Russia summit

Russia and the European Union have a long list of grievances to discuss at their summit in the Volga city of Samara on Friday.

ENERGY

The EU expects to reach agreement with Russia on a system to provide early warning of possible disruptions to energy supply. But it has a number of problems with Russia in this area. For one thing, it wants better access, and clearer rules, for European companies keen to exploit Russian oil and gas reserves. It is also unhappy about a perceived Russian tendency to use energy as a foreign-policy tool to punish some of its neighbours. The EU will stress the importance of resuming oil supplies to Lithuania, which Russia suddenly halted last July when a Lithuanian refinery was sold to a Polish company, rather than a Russian rival. A recent deal between Russia and Turkmenistan to build a new gas pipeline will also be discussed, as it threatens to undermine an EU-backed plan for a Trans-Caspian pipeline, which would help weaken Russia's stranglehold on European gas supplies.

MISSILE DEFENCE

Russia has threatened to tear up a key arms limitation pact, and to target missiles at Poland and the Czech Republic if they go ahead with plans to host elements of a planned US missile defence system. This is not really an issue for the EU, but it contributes to the sour atmosphere of the summit. In fact the issue divides Europe. Former French President Jacques Chirac said earlier this year that Europe and the US should listen to Russia's concerns. Ms Merkel has also suggested that the US should consult Russia more actively, within the Nato-Russia framework. Her coalition partner, the German Social Democratic Party, is dead against European involvement in the US shield.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6665309.stm

[december]

Putin says opposition protests fine if within the law

18/ 05/ 2007


VOLZHSKY UTYOS (Samara Region), May 18 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin, criticized in the West (the Illuminati D.) for stifling democracy, said after hosting a summit with the European Union (EU) (the Illuminati D.) that he had nothing against opposition marches that abide by the law.

Europe and the United States (the Illuminati D.) have reproached the leader of energy-rich Russia for his clampdown on democratic freedoms. European officials (color=blue]the Illuminati[/color] D.) have also attacked the Kremlin for increasing control over the press and suppressing the opposition. But polls show a majority of Russians support Putin for the stability and economic growth Russia has enjoyed during his tenure.

"I think such actions [as opposition protests] must be organized within the law, and should not interfere with other people's everyday lives," the Russian leader said after the traditional Russia-EU summit, which was held Friday in Samara on the Volga River. The summit is held every six months.

Western media (the Illuminati media D.) reported Friday Russian police prevented Garry Kasparov, the leader of the United Civil Front opposition movement and a former world chess champion, from boarding a plane to Samara.

An official spokesman for the police department overseeing the airport confirmed the detention. "We had suspicions that the tickets were fake," he said, adding that opposition leaders had been released and could have boarded later flights if they wanted to.

Putin tried to justify police actions by saying, "Police and law enforcement agencies in Europe also take preventive measures."

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, which currently holds the six-month presidency in the EU, responded by saying the summit of the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations in Germany in June would involve massive protests and that there were no plans to prevent such demonstrations.

"The G8 summit ... will be accompanied by thousands of peaceful demonstrators, and there is no concern that these demonstrations will be banned," Merkel said.

Putin in turn referred to anti-G8 demonstrations across Germany earlier this month when police in Hamburg had to use tear gas and water cannons to disperse about 2,000 protesters. Chancellor Merkel responded by saying: "Police must take measures when protesters apply force."

Rights groups, the opposition and journalists have accused police in Russia of abusing their authority and violating the law during the dispersal of the unsanctioned rally in Moscow and St. Petersburg in April, which demanded the president's resignation. Official reports said police detained 420 people in the two cities. Russian authorities denied any wrongdoing.

Putin, who has led Russia for seven years, said people in power were responsible for how they handle protests and promised that those who want to organize protests in Russia would have the opportunity to do so.

The Russian leader brought up another sensitive issue - the death of an ethnic Russian in Estonia, now an EU (the Illuminati D.) member, during protests against the removal of a Soviet monument in April. Putin said it was "murder." Estonian police denied any involvement.

Russian authorities have expressed serious concerns about Estonia sanctioning SS marches, which Moscow sees as support for Nazism. Tallinn responded by saying that it sees no difference between Soviet and Nazi occupation.

Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission (the Illuminati D.) who also attended the summit, stood up for Estonia, saying no EU country backed Nazism, but condemned any manifestations in favor of Nazi or neo-Nazi regimes.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070518/65711310.html

[december]

Wrap: Russia-EU summit highlights divisions with new EU members

http://img.rian.ru/images/6570/02/65700251.jpg

18/ 05/ 2007


VOLZHSKY UTYOS (Samara Region), May 18 (RIA Novosti) - President Vladimir Putin held difficult talks with European Union leaders Friday at a Russia-EU summit, which highlighted growing divisions over a number of sensitive issues between Moscow and the 27-nation bloc.

In particular, the summit was overshadowed by Moscow's disputes with three recent EU members - Poland over a Russian ban on its meat, Estonia over the removal of a Soviet war memorial from the center of its capital Tallinn, and Lithuania over its demand that Russian oil deliveries be resumed via the Druzhba pipeline.

At the start of talks at a health spa near the Volga city of Samara, Putin pledged to hold "an open and sincere dialogue without any taboo subjects" with EU leaders, including Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, which holds the EU rotating presidency, and the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso.

After the talks, no joint declaration was drawn up, in contrast with usual practice. However, the Russian president denied that the summit had failed to produce any results.

PCA TALKS

The sides had previously hoped to launch talks on a new EU-Russia partnership agreement, but a veto on the talks from Poland over Russia's embargo on its meat exports remains in force, and the EU leadership reiterated its support for Poland and other members involved in current rows with Russia.

"It is very important if you want to have close cooperation to understand that the EU is based on principles of solidarity," Jose Manuel Barroso said.

Commenting on prospects for a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), German Chancellor Angela Markel said the EU was interested in starting talks on a new cooperation agreement despite a number of issues still hampering negotiations.

"We want negotiations on a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement to be resumed... and we have no doubts that this must happen," Merkel said.

ENERGY ISSUES

Leaders of the EU, increasingly concerned over energy security, are also pushing for Russia to sign the Energy Charter, which would compel the country to open up its vast oil and gas reserves and pipeline network to European companies and to provide safeguards for investors.

EU officials have reportedly warned they will add the main clauses of the Energy Charter in the agreement's new draft if Russia does not sign the energy treaty. Moscow has so far resisted, saying the agreement runs counter to its interests.

The European Union, which imports more than a quarter of its oil and natural gas from Russia via Ukrainian pipelines, faced a brief disruption last winter when Moscow suspended gas deliveries to Ukraine over a price dispute, sparking doubts over Russia's reliability as a supplier.

However, Russia, which has restricted European companies' access to its energy sector, insists that energy security works both ways, and wants Europe to offer purchase safeguards for its energy if it wants Russian producers to guarantee steady deliveries.

President Putin reiterated that Russia would protect its interests in the same way that the EU does, considering the number of complex issues within the EU.

"The European Union has changed, the number of members has increased, and it is more difficult to resolve the issues that were easy to settle in the past," Putin said. "However, we must defend our own interests as professionally as my [European] colleagues do."

The Russian leader criticized the EU for not fulfilling its obligations under the Energy Charter, citing Europe's failure to open the nuclear materials market by 1997 and give Russia direct access to it.

POLISH MEAT BAN

Putin also said the row between Russia and Poland over Moscow's ban on its former Eastern Bloc ally's meat exports was a common economic issue rather than a political matter. Last November, Warsaw vetoed new PCA talks over Russia's ban on meat and other agricultural imports from Poland. Moscow cited health concerns, but Warsaw said the move was political.

"We all know that there are many disputes within the EU and between the EU and other countries on agricultural issues," Putin said, adding that a common approach to resolving these issues should be developed and used by all concerned parties.

But Jose Manuel Barroso said Russia's embargo on Polish meat imports was unjustified.

"If there were grounds [for an embargo], we would not allow Poland to circulate meat in the European Union," he said after the Friday summit.

Putin said Russia was ready to continue talks on its embargo on Polish meat imports, but expected closer cooperation and understanding from Poland and the EU.

"We have not yet solved the Polish meat problem, since our Polish colleagues have not been on speaking terms with us for over a year" Vladimir Putin said. "Thank God, there is the German Chancellor representing their interests. We will move further."

Russia remains one of the key economic partners of the European Union after the U.S. and China, and has been successfully cooperating with Europe on a variety of political, economic, cultural and humanitarian issues.

DEMOCRACY CLAMPDOWN

The EU reaffirmed its concerns over the alleged rollback of democracy in Russia, citing the widely publicized murders of journalist Politkovskaya, ex-FSB officer Litvinenko and the brutal handling of anti-government protesters by the Russian police.

Europe and the United States have consistently reproached President Putin for his clampdown on democratic freedoms. European officials have also attacked the Kremlin for increasing control over the press and suppressing the opposition.

But Putin brushed off the criticism Friday, saying that he had nothing against opposition actions as long as the protesters abide by the law.

"I think such actions [as opposition protests] must be organized within the law, and should not interfere with other people's everyday lives," the Russian leader said.

Meanwhile, Western media reported that Russian police prevented Garry Kasparov, the leader of the United Civil Front opposition movement and a former world chess champion, from boarding a plane in Moscow to Samara.

An official spokesman for the police department overseeing Sheremetyevo airport confirmed the detention. "We had suspicions that the tickets were fake," he said, adding that opposition leaders had been released and could have boarded later flights if they wanted to.

Putin tried to justify police actions by saying: "Police and law enforcement agencies in Europe also take preventive measures."

Putin, who has led Russia for seven years and enjoys the support of a majority of Russians for the stability and economic growth Russia has had during his tenure, said people in power were responsible for how they handle protests and promised that those who want to organize protests in Russia would have the opportunity to do so.

BALTIC DISCRIMINATION

Putin reiterated Russia's position that violating the rights of Russian communities in Latvia and Estonia was inadmissible and unworthy of Europe.

"We reiterated our position at today's meeting. We consider [Baltic discrimination against Russian communities'] inadmissible and unworthy of Europe," Putin said.

The Russian leader brought up another sensitive issue - the death of an ethnic Russian in Estonia, now a EU member, during protests against the removal of a Soviet monument in April. Putin said it was "murder." Estonian police denied any involvement..

Russian authorities have expressed serious concerns about Estonia sanctioning SS marches, which Moscow sees as support for Nazism. Tallinn responded by saying that it sees no difference between Soviet and Nazi occupation.

However, Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission who also attended the summit, stood up for Estonia, saying no EU country backed Nazism, but condemned any demonstrations in favor of Nazism or neo-Nazi regimes.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070518/65721570.html

[december]

Here's what EU (the Illuminati) and BBC don't like to discuss and report:


Killed Russian was not given aid when he was injured


http://img.rian.ru/images/6451/05/64510588.jpg

18/ 05/ 2007

TALLINN, May 18 (RIA Novosti) - Medical aid to a Russian national killed in Tallinn in late April during protests over the removal of a Soviet monument was rendered in due time, Estonia's state prosecutors said Friday.

"The ambulance was called immediately and arrived within five minutes. Allegations that he was dying in front of police do not correspond to reality," the Estonian State Prosecutor's office said.

Earlier Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded punishment for those guilty of failing to save the life of Dmitry Ganin.

"It is not the case that that an accident occurred. We are worried that this person was not given aid when he was injured. He was dying in front of police. This is a deliberate crime, and we demand that the criminals be brought to account," he told journalists after a Russia-EU summit near the Volga city of Samara.

Estonian police detained May 11 two people suspected of killing Ganin, and beating his friend Oleg. Prosecutors issued Sunday an arrest warrant for a six-month term. No murder charges have been brought yet.

http://en.rian.ru/world/20070518/65720308.html

[lightcodes]

http://en.rian.ru/ - Is this main stream news in Russia? If it is then its just going to be like the bbc.co.uk, cnn, etc

Your not going to get the real truth from the mainstream media. Russia are definately playing a game here, but for what reason or agenda I don't know.

If you look at David's work you'll see says that global elite want a world war to bring in there new world order, one world government. That will be either a Holy War created from the middle east or a war with China. So I'm not sure where russia fits in here. Maybe someone else can fill in the gaps.

Also I remember reading that Russia will not respond when Iran gets bombed by the US. Surely if Russia was against the NWO then they would respond?

Chris