EPP-ED Presidency, Tallinn: EU-Russia relations - ''We must be firm but open''
Opening the session of the EPP-ED Presidency meeting in Tallinn on EU-Russia relations, Gunnar Hökmark MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP-ED Group, said that relations with Russia need to be both firm and open. He said that Russia had changed much since the days of the Soviet Union preferring soft power to hard power. However, Russia was still prepared to use hard power as demonstrated in Georgia last August.
The Director of the Baltic Centre for Russian Studies, Vladimir Jushkin, outlined the substantial influence of the Russian Secret Service in the government of Russia. Former Secret Service agents are present and active in the major power centres in Moscow. Some analyists claim that the current leadership will be in power in Moscow until 2024. He also dealt with the problem of Russian immigration - about 100,000 Russians, mostly highly-educated, are leaving every year and the Russian populations in the Baltics, for example, are not returning to Russia despite the pleas of the Russian leadership. They feel that their civil and human rights are better protected in Estonia and in other EU countries than in Russia itself. In conclusion, he said that many Russians shared our European values and we must encourage them to promote these values.
Mart Helme, Former Estonian Ambassador to the Russian Federation, said that Russia treats the EU as a minor partner and tries to deal with the individual states rather than the EU as such. Russia sees itself as being different and wants to be treated differently. The EU response must be to have a common Russian policy - a full European Foreign Policy is not possible unless we have a clear and common approach to Russia and strengthen the Euro-Atlantic relationship. We must stop making exceptions for Russia and make sure that it fulfills its international obligations.
Mr Helme considered that the current financial crisis presents Russia with a great problem and that there are also huge demographic and infrastructure problems. Whilst the EU must be ready to cooperate and help Russia, we cannot be dominated by Russia and allow them to set the agenda. We must use the experiences of Russia's near neighbours including Estonia, Poland and others to guide us in the development of a common policy towards Russia.
Chairman of the EU Affairs Committee in the Estonian Parliament, Marko Mihkelson, said that relations over the last 20 years with Russia had not been easy. However, five years of EU Membership has improved the confidence of Estonia and the aim now is to create normal relations with all neighbours including Russia. We must at all times seek a relationship based on trust and mutal interest. We must develop this relationship based on full respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law - our values. He concluded that Europe must be united and consistent in its policy towards Russia.
Following a lively debate, Jacek Saryusz Wolski MEP, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs in the European Parliament, summed up the debate by saying that we need a pro-Russian policy, pro the Russia of Sakharov and Politkovskaya. He too felt that the European Union has to succeed in its Russian policy which he described as a keystone of European Foreign Policy. A great number of Russians share our values and belong to our civilisation and therefore we need a policy that is both realistic, compassionate and long term. Saryusz-Wolski reminded his audience that we must engage with the democratic and civil society. The Solidarity Movement in Poland was started by only 17 people but turned into a movement of 10 million people and changed Poland forever. He called on the EPP political family to be at the forefront of Russian policy and not leave this key responsibility in the hands of the Left.
For further information:
Robert Fitzhenry, Head of the EPP-ED Press Service, Tel: +32-475-493356
Notes to Editors:
The EPP-ED Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 288 Members from all 27 Member States.
