EU SEEKS GREATER LINKS WITH EX-SOVIET STATES

Irish Times
Friday, May 8, 2009

Fredrik Reinfeldt: EU must try to export stability to the region

At a summit yesterday, the union offered the prospect of free trade,
additional economic aid, a gradual relaxation in visa restrictions and
integration into the European single market. But the initiative stops
short of offering the prospect of future EU membership to any of the
participants and commits them to respect human rights and democracy.

"If we don’t export stability to this region, we will import
instability," said Swedish prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt who,
along with Polish prime minister Donald Tusk, co-developed the eastern
partnership plan in an attempt to stabilise eastern Europe.

Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and the 27
EU states signed up to a declaration promising a "more ambitious
partnership".

The EU is also planning to boost the amount of aid it provides to the
region to about â~B¬600 billion and provide technical assistance to
the six states.

Yesterday’s summit occurred against a backdrop of instability in
the region with economic crisis paralysing Ukraine, social unrest
breaking out in Moldova and Georgia putting down a coup attempt this
week. German diplomats have said they are extremely concerned at
the prospect of a "contagion effect" in eastern Europe if Ukraine’s
economy collapses. The EU is also seeking to extend its influence to
restrict the activities of an increasingly assertive Russia, which
it blames for provoking last year’s war in Georgia and a gas crisis
with Ukraine. Its invitation to Belarus marks a watershed.

Moscow rejects European accusations of meddling in the region and
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov criticised the proposed
partnership when he met his European counterparts, telling them it
should "not get in the way of the post-Soviet era".

EU diplomats attempted to soothe Russian concerns to prevent tensions
between Nato and Russia worsening. "This is not anti-Russian," said
Czech deputy prime minister Alexandr Vondra, whose country holds the
rotating EU presidency. "They are our close eastern neighbours and
we have a vital interest in their stability and prosperity. This is
an offer, not an EU projection of force."

However, the commitment of EU states to the eastern partnership
initiative came under question, with several high-profile EU leaders
staying away.

British prime minister Gordon Brown, French prime minister Nicolas
Sarkozy, Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi and Spanish prime
minister José Luís Zapatero did not attend.

Polish hopes that the partnership may be used to give countries such
as Ukraine the chance to apply for EU membership face opposition from
Germany and the Netherlands. Diplomats from=2 0both states insisted on
watering down the declaration, which initially referred to the states
as "European countries". Instead, they were described as "partners"
and promises of fast-track visa liberalisation were deleted.