May 10, 2007

EU Urges Russia to lift Polish meat ban ahead of summit

The European Union Wednesday (May 9) urged Russia to commit to lifting its ban on Polish meat so negotiations for a new strategic partnership agreement could begin at an upcoming EU-Russia summit.

The call came as some EU parliamentarians demanded the meeting, planned for May 18, be postponed due to continuing human rights violations in Russia and the blockade of the Estonian Embassy in Moscow for several days in protest of a decision to remove a Soviet war memorial from the centre of Estonia's capital.

The EU and Russia are to discuss their economic relations, energy cooperation, climate change, and the situation in Kosovo, Iran and the Middle East at the summit in Samara, Russia.

Poland is blocking talks on the new EU-Russia partnership accord aiming at forging closer energy ties because of Russia's ban on Polish meat and plant products, which Moscow has maintained since late 2005 because of alleged health concerns.

Russia currently supplies a quarter of Europe's oil and more than two-fifths of its gas. The EU wants Russia to commit to fair trade in energy production and transit so as to secure investor confidence and guarantee safe long-term deliveries.

"Following countless talks ... I think the time has come for Russia to give a date when the embargo will be lifted," German Deputy Foreign Minister Guenther Gloser, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, told the European Parliament. "The opening of negotiations on a new partnership agreement ... should not fail on a technicality."

But many legislators were critical of the EU's leniency toward Russia over its threats of economic consequences against Estonia and its recent disputes with other EU nations, including Poland and the Czech Republic.

"The Russians need a clear signal: enough is enough. Here's a direct proposal: postpone the summit," said Graham Watson, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the EU assembly.