RIA Novosti, Russia
Nov 19 2004

EUROPEAN UNION’S EXPERIENCE USEFUL FOR CIS

BERLIN, November 19 (RIA Novosti, Taras Lariokhin) – The European
Union’s experience is useful to the CIS countries, Deputy Foreign
Minister Vladimir Chizhov told RIA Novosti in Berlin where the 10th
European forum, Vision of Europe, organized by the BMW Herbert Quant
foundation, opened on Friday.

The EU has existed for more than 50 years and some of its experience
can be of use to the CIS, Mr. Chizhov said. According to him,
developing cooperation between the CIS and the EU does not compete
with cooperation within the CIS.

“These processes do not conflict with each other, they are not in
opposition,” he said. “They build an objective foundation for
interaction between the CIS and the EU as organizations.”

The main purpose of the conference is cooperation between CIS and EU
countries. Debates on the topics, “The EU and the CIS – Contours of
New Economic Cooperation,” and “Europe – New Vision?” will be held
during the two-day meeting.

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev,
the foreign ministers of many CIS countries and representatives of EU
countries will attend the forum.

Mr. Chizhov is representing Russia at the forum.