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EU Turns Down Actions of Russia
The European Union foreign ministers released a statement on Georgia in Luxembourg yesterday. Though the foreign policy chiefs excluded the hottest words from the document, its text will hardly please Moscow. The statement expresses deep concern about the actions taken by Russia against Georgia and calls on Moscow to stop chasing Georgians in Russia.
On Tuesday, the European Union foreign ministers argued over how strongly to criticize Russia's treatment of neighboring Georgia, three days before a sensitive summit with President Vladimir Putin in Finland. It was Austria's European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner that clarified to reporters the meaning of statement released by the ministers. Benita Ferrero-Waldner was very cautious yesterday, showing the European Union would prefer to remain an unbiased arbiter in clashes of Moscow and Tbilisi with no intention to back up either of them.
But despite the diplomatic effort of the EU commissioner, the wording of document will hardly please Moscow. Similar to the draft, the released statement still expresses the EU concern about the actions taken by Russia against Georgia and their economic, political and humanitarian aftermath. Moreover, the statement calls on the Russian authorities not to crackdown on Georgians in the Russian Federation.
So, the key intrigue of the following few days is whether the European leaders will follow the voice of their foreign policy chiefs at informal summit with President Vladimir Putin in Finland.
Meanwhile, the parliament of Estonia came up with a statement Tuesday condemning the actions of Russia taken against Georgia and its citizens and urging the Kremlin to revive normal diplomatic relations. As to Georgia, the Estonian legislators advised it not to fall for provocation and avoid actions that could be regarded provocative.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 18, 2006
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