Such kind of meetings is held twice a year but this one is not ordinary. First, Dmitry Medvedev will be debuting on the Russia’s side. Second, a political start will be given to talks Russia-EU about new basic partnership agreement. The talks were blocked by Poland about one year and a half ago and it has been hindered by Lithuania lately. Javier Solana, the EU senior representative for foreign policy and safety issues, answered the questions by a Novaya Gazeta correspondent before the summit.     

Q: Now, after a long pause is the EU ready to start talks with Russia about the new partnership agreement?

A: The EU is willing and determined to start talks about EU-Russia agreement. All the EU members have given their consent and we are convinced we shall be able to carry out the talks successfully. We aim at getting a good agreement which will put our relations to a new strategic foundation. 

Q: Is the current crisis about ratification of the Lisbon treaty capable of affecting the talks or EU-Russia relations in a more general way? 

A: Following the referendum in Ireland (where the Lisbon treaty failed to get support – A.M.), at the EU summit that was held last week, we began working on searching for the solution and I expect optimistically that the progress will come soon.   

In any case, this fact will not affect directly the EU that will be functioning on the basis of standing fundamental agreements. So I can assure you that the EU will stay a reliable partner for Russia irrespective of the Lisbon treaty coming or not into effect. As for talks with Russia about the new agreement, it cannot be affected negatively in any way.  

Q: What’s the directive by the EU Council for talks with Russia? What are its basic points? 

A: We are striving for a comprehensive agreement which could reflect all the depth of our today’s relations, and not those of ten years ago. 

From our point of view, the agreement should embrace all the areas of EU-Russia cooperation: political dialog and external security; trade and economic cooperation; issues of freedom, safety and justice; scientific research, education and culture. It should define the necessary institutional mechanisms so that to provide for efficiency of EU-Russia relations.    

Q: Is it so important for the EU to put in the agreement the juristically obligatory provisions about energy, which is insisted by some EU members, or the agreement may be rather a compact basic document?

A: Of course, all the complex of energy issues is one of most important elements of our relations with Russia. We depend on each other most of all in this area, and it would be natural to reflect it in the new agreement. Generally, the EU’s goal is building up the real energy partnership with Russia based on principles of transparency, honest competition, mutuality and non-discrimination. Such a partnership is to provide for reliability and stability for both sides and pave the way for necessary long-term investments into new and existing facility, to pay more attention to energy effectiveness, energy saving and to recyclable sources of energy.     

However, I think now it’s too early to speak about what kind of provisions will be included in the agreement, as the talks have not started yet.

Q: Does the EU intend to coordinate with Russia the policy in the post-soviet space? Can the EU participate in settlement of the “frozen” conflicts in Georgia and Moldavia? Will it be on the agenda of the talks about the new EU-Russia agreement? 

A: Russia is a strategic partner for the EU and we continue working in close contact over settlement of the conflicts on the post-soviet space, as you call it. It is in our common interests attempting to settle any crisis that is capable of consequences for the whole region. Getting involved in those matters we do not set a goal of competing with anyone. We just want to work with all parties for the sake of slackening of tension, to return the trust between the conflicting sides, to maintain the efforts for conflicts settlement and to be conductive to talks. Russia will be having the main role in that work.      

Settlement of conflicts in Georgia and Moldavia being a priority for the EU as well as for Georgia, of course we are expecting it will be reflected in the agreement. From our side we have been working actively so that to convince all the interested parties about necessity of continuing the dialog and finding the peaceful solution.

Recently I had the occasion to pass personally this message to the authorities in Tbilisi and Sukhumi. We encourage it in all ways any direct talks between Georgian government and de facto authorities in Abkhazia and we are willing to promote settlement if the conflicting parties want us to.   

Q: To which extent the directive for the talks about the new agreement reflects common values, democracy, authority of law, freedom of speech? Is there linkage from it to cooperation in other spheres? 

A: The EU countries and Russia have undertaken to respect democratic principles and fundamental human rights, as it is defined in the Helsinki Act and other European instruments. The current agreement contains references to those principles, and I hope they will be also included in the new one.