MEDVEDEV WARNS EU NOT TO TURN EASTERN PARTNERSHIP AGAINST RUSSIA
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
22.05.2009 11:57 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned the
European Union not to turn a proposed partnership with former Soviet
countries against Russia.
"We would not want the Eastern Partnership to turn into partnership
against Russia. There are various examples," Mr Medvedev told a news
conference at the end of the summit, which brought together Czech
President Vaclav Klaus, whose country holds the EU presidency, and
EU Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso.
"I would simply not want this partnership to consolidate certain
individual states, which are of an anti-Russian bent, with other
European states," he said.
Moscow has accused the 27-member bloc of creating new dividing lines
in Europe by offering closer ties to six former Soviet republics.
The EU last week launched the plan to forge close political and
economic ties with the six countries in exchange for democratic
reforms.
The Eastern Partnership Initiative is intended to bolster
stability in the region, but without the prospect of eventual EU
membership. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
have signed up to the initiative, BBC reports.