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EU-Russia summit seen strained after Ukraine vote
By Sebastian Alison
Reuters
11/23/04 14:57 ET
BRUSSELS, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Ukraine's disputed presidential election
will add fresh tension to already strained ties between Russia and
the European Union when President Vladimir Putin travels to The Hague
for a summit on Thursday.
The Ukrainian vote has thrown into sharp focus the most contentious
issue in relations -- how to deal with what Brussels calls its
"common neighbourhood" and Moscow regards as its "near abroad."
Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, backed by Russia, has claimed
victory, and Putin has congratulated him. West-leaning liberal
reformist Viktor Yushchenko says he has been robbed of the presidency
and the EU has called the poll fraudulent.
Yushchenko is now trying to use "people power" in the streets to
press his claim to have won.
The main purpose of Thursday's summit is to try to agree on developing
EU-Russia relations on the basis of four "common spaces" -- economics;
freedom, security and justice; external security; and education
and research.
The two sides are farthest from agreement on external security,
and the Ukraine election highlights their differences.
Following its eastward enlargement in May, the EU seeks greater
engagement with the countries it sees as in the common neighbourhood
of Brussels and Moscow, namely Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and the
three Caucasus republics.
In particular it wants agreement to promote democracy and human rights,
and a role in helping to end "frozen conflicts" in Moldova, Georgia,
Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Moscow resists this, seeing all of them as firmly in its sphere of
influence, and fearing a further loss of prestige it has suffered
since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
"We have noted that there are some Russian elements who feel that
our common neighbourhood policy is in competition with their policy,"
an EU official said on Tuesday.
NO EU MESSAGE YET
Officially the Ukrainian election is not on the agenda. But since
it lies at the heart of the diplomatic dispute on neighbourhood,
officials say it is bound to come up.
"The situation is evolving hour by hour. It is pretty certain that
this issue will be raised at the summit," one said. "We will see what
the situation is on Thursday to see exactly what our message will be."
Ukraine is the largest of the ex-Soviet states to become an EU
neighbour, both by area and population, and Moscow and Brussels both
see it as vital to woo Kiev into their sphere.
Yet despite lobbying by Poland, there is no EU consensus to offer
Ukraine the prospect of eventual membership.
Putin visited Ukraine twice before the election and openly campaigned
for Yanukovich.
By contrast Bernard Bot, foreign minister of the Netherlands, which
holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said he hoped Yushchenko
would win and called the poll fraudulent.
EU officials have refrained from criticising Putin for congratulating
Yanukovich on his victory even though the official result may not be
announced until Dec. 6.
It was not the first such dispute. Brussels and Moscow also took a very
different line on recent parliamentary elections and a presidential
referendum in Belarus, allowing veteran President Alexander Lukashenko
to extend his term.
Moscow congratulated Lukashenko, while the EU responded by slapping
a visa ban on top Belarus officials and cutting contacts between
Brussels and Minsk to a minimum.
Following EU enlargement, Russia now sends 55 percent of its exports
to the bloc, while the EU in turn is heavily dependent on Russian
energy. But increased economic cooperation has so far not been
reflected in closer political ties.
By Sebastian Alison
Reuters
11/23/04 14:57 ET
BRUSSELS, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Ukraine's disputed presidential election
will add fresh tension to already strained ties between Russia and
the European Union when President Vladimir Putin travels to The Hague
for a summit on Thursday.
The Ukrainian vote has thrown into sharp focus the most contentious
issue in relations -- how to deal with what Brussels calls its
"common neighbourhood" and Moscow regards as its "near abroad."
Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich, backed by Russia, has claimed
victory, and Putin has congratulated him. West-leaning liberal
reformist Viktor Yushchenko says he has been robbed of the presidency
and the EU has called the poll fraudulent.
Yushchenko is now trying to use "people power" in the streets to
press his claim to have won.
The main purpose of Thursday's summit is to try to agree on developing
EU-Russia relations on the basis of four "common spaces" -- economics;
freedom, security and justice; external security; and education
and research.
The two sides are farthest from agreement on external security,
and the Ukraine election highlights their differences.
Following its eastward enlargement in May, the EU seeks greater
engagement with the countries it sees as in the common neighbourhood
of Brussels and Moscow, namely Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and the
three Caucasus republics.
In particular it wants agreement to promote democracy and human rights,
and a role in helping to end "frozen conflicts" in Moldova, Georgia,
Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Moscow resists this, seeing all of them as firmly in its sphere of
influence, and fearing a further loss of prestige it has suffered
since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
"We have noted that there are some Russian elements who feel that
our common neighbourhood policy is in competition with their policy,"
an EU official said on Tuesday.
NO EU MESSAGE YET
Officially the Ukrainian election is not on the agenda. But since
it lies at the heart of the diplomatic dispute on neighbourhood,
officials say it is bound to come up.
"The situation is evolving hour by hour. It is pretty certain that
this issue will be raised at the summit," one said. "We will see what
the situation is on Thursday to see exactly what our message will be."
Ukraine is the largest of the ex-Soviet states to become an EU
neighbour, both by area and population, and Moscow and Brussels both
see it as vital to woo Kiev into their sphere.
Yet despite lobbying by Poland, there is no EU consensus to offer
Ukraine the prospect of eventual membership.
Putin visited Ukraine twice before the election and openly campaigned
for Yanukovich.
By contrast Bernard Bot, foreign minister of the Netherlands, which
holds the rotating presidency of the EU, said he hoped Yushchenko
would win and called the poll fraudulent.
EU officials have refrained from criticising Putin for congratulating
Yanukovich on his victory even though the official result may not be
announced until Dec. 6.
It was not the first such dispute. Brussels and Moscow also took a very
different line on recent parliamentary elections and a presidential
referendum in Belarus, allowing veteran President Alexander Lukashenko
to extend his term.
Moscow congratulated Lukashenko, while the EU responded by slapping
a visa ban on top Belarus officials and cutting contacts between
Brussels and Minsk to a minimum.
Following EU enlargement, Russia now sends 55 percent of its exports
to the bloc, while the EU in turn is heavily dependent on Russian
energy. But increased economic cooperation has so far not been
reflected in closer political ties.