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Europe Takes Up Georgia
In their today’s get-together in Luxembourg, foreign ministers of the E.U. states will come up with a separate statement on Georgia, which draft spells out criticism of Moscow in extent that is unusually severe for this European body. But as at least a portion of the E.U. doesn’t intend to seriously aggravate relations with Russia, the diplomats will probably soften rhetoric at the last moment, avoiding the one-sided criticism of our country.
This meeting of the E.U. foreign ministers is held on the threshold of informal summit of the E.U., which opens in Finland’s Lahti on Friday and where Russia’s President Vladimir Putin will take part. The agenda of the summit won’t spring any surprise, setting forth such well-expected issues as the possible sanctions against North Korea and Iran, the Middle East settlement, the state of affairs in western Balkans and in the Darfur province of Sudan and the attempts of Greece and Cyprus to prevent Turkey from joining the E.U.
But today’s get-together of ministers directly relates to Russia. The key intrigue of Luxembourg meeting is discussing clashes of Moscow and Tbilisi. Foreign ministers are said to release a separate statement on conflict of Russia and Georgia, which draft the E.U. ambassadors considered in late past week.
The document says the E.U. is deeply concerned about actions taken by Russia against Georgia, their economic, political and humanitarian aftereffects and urges Russia not to take measures against the Georgians staying in the RF.
Moreover, it calls on Moscow and Tbilisi to promptly find some methods for peaceful settlement of conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia with complete adherence to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia.
More likely than not, the ministers will go through heated debates today. The so-called old Europe, where France, Germany and Italy play first fiddles, is said to advocate more composed approach while lambasting Moscow, the more so that, in Lahti, they will have to reach understanding with Russia about energy security, North Korea and Iran. The standing of the E.U. newcomers (former socialist states and the Baltic countries) is quite the opposite and their support for Tbilisi is categorical and unconditional.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 17, 2006
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