The European Union and Russia will skirt round the highly sensitive Chechen issue
when they hold a two-hour summit in St Petersburg that is likely to disappoint
both sides. Their draft joint communique, seen by the Guardian, refers only in
the blandest terms to Chechnya, expressing the hope that the recently launched
political process there will promote the protection of human rights and bring
"genuine reconciliation".
EU diplomats said it had proved extremely difficult to get any mention of the
Caucasian republic into the summit statement because of fierce Russian opposition.
"We are willing to grasp this nettle," said one official, "but any reference was
always going to be very weak."
Amnesty International had urged the EU to do more in the light of continuing reports
of grave human rights abuses including disappearances of civilians in the strife-ridden
republic.
Amnesty said: "The EU gives constant assurances that these issues are raised at
EU-Russia summits. However, there is little proof that the EU is being taken seriously
by Russia, and certainly the EU has nothing to show in terms of results."
Brussels and Moscow have both had high hopes in recent years for a closer relationship,
with a strong emphasis on trade and energy and supporting Russia's bid to join
the World Trade Organisation.
But the relationship's limits will be further demonstrated by the EU's refusal
to accede to Russian demands for visa-free access to the union, which will border
directly on Russia when the EU grows next year.
Moscow has been pressing hard for such an arrangement since it successfully negotiated
access to its Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad after Poland and Lithuania join the
EU.
Italy strongly backed Russia's visa case, but was rebuffed by other EU member
states "We don't have to bend over backwards to give the Russians everything they
want," an EU official said.
The union wants first to see better Russian cooperation with EU police forces,
and an agreement that would allow for the speedy readmission to Russia of illegal
immigrants.
Clearly part of the issue is the fear that cheap Russian labour will flood into
the EU.
Chechnya has been a serious irritant in relations since Russia launched its second
war in 1999 after a series of apartment blasts in Moscow were blamed on separatist
rebels.
The draft summit statement on Chechnya says: "We condemned any kind of violence,
in particular terrorist acts, which could endanger the prospects for a political
solution. We agreed that international organisations could make a substantial
contribution in close cooperation with Russian authorities."
The EU is also urging Russia to ratify the Kyoto protocol on global warming, which
aims to curb greenhouse gas emissions, and to improve the safety of its navy and
merchant vessels.
Comment: So the EU sees only the Chechen terrorist acts. How many Russian terrorists
acts will be necessary to make them clear that they are in fact allying with an
emerging nazi-fascist regime?