Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the round table of Russia's and EU industrialists, Cannes, November 13, 2008.
Photo: Alexander Miridonov
| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
Russia, EU Met for First Summit After Caucasus War
The first Russia-EU summit after the Caucasus war opens today in Nice. The partners have pleasantly surprised each other before the event. Europe is ready to give a green light for talks on a new cooperation pact with Russia, while Medvedev said Moscow might not station Inskander missiles in the Kaliningrad region.
The summit of Russia and the EU opens in Nice today, November 14, 2008. Both parties made presents to each other before the event, which holding had been questioned not long ago. But the EU foreign ministers resolved in Brussels on Monday that Russia had fulfilled provisions of Medvedev-Sarkozy peace deal and decided to give a green light for the talks on a new cooperation pact that had been suspended in the wake of the Caucasus war.
In return, President Dmitry Medvedev told Le Figaro yesterday that Russia might abandon the plans to deploy Iskander missiles in the Kaliningrad Region. Medvedev had announced the intention to station Iskanders there in his annual message to the Federal Assembly, shocking Europe’s leaders at large by that statement.
Yesterday, however, Medvedev made clear that Iskanders are not so inevitable for Europe. Russia won’t deploy them provided the talks for establishing Europe’s missile defense system by the United States, Russia and the EU begin or if the parties stick to the zero option (no U.S. interceptors and radar in Eastern Europe - no Iskanders in Kaliningrad).
Making the sentiment even warmer, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer vowed Thursday that the alliance wouldn’t respond even if Moscow stationed Inskanders in Kaliningrad.
Regardless, Russia is likely to have a few unpleasant minutes during the summit. Moscow has recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia and won't recall that recognition. Moreover, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili complained about the presence of Russia’s troops to French President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday. Sarkozy presides in the EU now.
Anyway, the global financial collapse will be one of priorities in Nice and the parties are expected to elaborate an agreed position for forthcoming summit of G20 in Washington.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 14, 2008
|
|
|
