EUROPE’S INTERESTS SERVED WITH GEORGIAN SAUCE
By A. Haroutiunian
AZG Armenian Daily
04/09/2008
Europe-Russia-Caucasus
EU Resolution Focuses Rather on EU-Russia Relations, than Georgia
Itself
On September 1 the members of the EU gathered and discussed the
consequences of the conflict in South Ossetia, which burst on August
8. The EU adopted a resolution, consisting of a number of articles,
which, although relieved of sharp phrasings, are rather clear.
Thus, the EU shall henceforth have a permanent representative for
Georgia, and shall try to insure its energetic security by all
available means, including deeper diversification of energy sources
and routes of their import.
In the meanwhile the European union expresses its displeasure with
the armed conflict, which received an inadequate response from
Russia’s side. The EU condemns Russia for one-sided recognition of
the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and welcomes the
Russia-France-Georgia agreement.
The EU is willing to contribute the peace and final settlement of the
conflict as well as to assist Georgia in restoring its authority over
South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The resolution has a plenty of beautiful phrasings on European
partnership, reducing the tension in the region, the so-called Eastern
partnership, and, of course, the EU-Ukraine summit, which is to take
place next week.
As the EU-Russia relations faced a stalemate as a result of the recent
events, Europe made a decision to intensify its collaboration with the
Russian Federation, also taking into account that the latter would
never suffer its full isolation from Europe. However, the EU-Russia
talks on a new strategic partnership agreement are to be suspended
until Russian troops return to positions they had held by August
7, 2008.
Russian representative to the EU Vladimir Tchizhov replied to this
that those who desire Russia to withdraw its forces from Georgia are
knocking at an open door, as Russian armed forces are left only in
the buffer areas and in the area of conflict.
Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin in his turn said with "typical
Russian boldness" declared that foreign warships in the Black Sea shall
have the proper answer and that other states are not following Russia
in recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia does not mean a crisis.
On the other hand, Georgia renounced a number of Russian-Georgian
agreements on South Ossetia. "Novosti Gruzii" agency informs that
the Joint Commission on the South Ossetia conflict was dissolved and
Russia’s peacekeeping mandate in South Ossetia suspended.