Conversations in silence

Russia and the European Union will create a committee for the exchange of views

Russia and the EU will cooperate more closely on international security issues. This was stated by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and German Chancellor Angela Merkel after two days of negotiations in the small cozy Meseberg Palace in Brandenburg near Berlin. For the hostess of the meeting, the trip to nature became a short-term respite from solving current internal political puzzles, related, in particular, to the election of the new President of Germany . The guest brought with him excellent weather - Saturday turned out to be warm and sunny. Against this favorable background, both politicians demonstrated the idyllic harmony that today characterizes relations between Russia and Germany on most international issues.

Angela Merkel emphasized that in Meseberg there is an opportunity to talk with Dmitry Medvedev “in complete silence.” The President appreciated this approach to organizing the meeting: “We can hear each other.” There was no conversation about interstate problems between Russia and Germany, because such problems “simply do not exist,” both politicians noted in unison. The conversation took place without interpreters in English, although Chancellor Merkel, who grew up and was educated in the GDR, speaks Russian well.

The leaders of the two countries discussed disarmament, the Middle East conflict and the euro crisis. As Angela Merkel believes, “the stability of the euro has priority, as this is the basis for further global economic development.” Dmitry Medvedev agreed with this, emphasizing: “If you now pull out this “leg” in the form of the euro from the global financial system, I’m afraid there will be consequences worse than the beginning of the crisis in 2008.” In his opinion, stabilization of the euro is needed “both for the eurozone itself and for partners such as the Russian Federation.”

An important place was devoted to the preparation of a new UN Security Council resolution condemning Iran for the development of its nuclear program. The Russian President noted that “although no one wants sanctions, in some cases they have to be negotiated. The situation is such that there is practically an agreement on such sanctions.” Dmitry Medvedev expressed hope that “the voice of the international community will be heard by the Iranian leadership.”

During the meeting, a joint proposal was voiced to create a new platform for solving practical problems in relations between Russia and the European Union. Such a body should be a committee on foreign policy and security at the ministerial level. This will be a forum for the exchange of views on these issues. The committee will also coordinate joint actions of Russia and the EU in the event of crises of a civil or military-political nature, and develop joint recommendations for resolving crisis situations. The committee is expected to be headed by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. The effectiveness of the new committee will be analyzed at the EU-Russia summit in autumn 2010. Ms Merkel said she would present new Russian-German agreements at EU level as early as Tuesday at the European Security Forum.

Following the tradition of such working Russian-German meetings, the Chancellor initiated a discussion of issues related to the observance of human rights in Russia. In turn, the Russian president again reminded Europeans of Moscow’s desire to ensure people’s right to freedom of movement. Mr. Medvedev stressed that Russia and the EU should more actively move towards each other on the issue of mutual abolition of the visa regime. “Without resolving this issue, we will not be able to build a large-scale partnership designed for years to come,” the president noted.

Yuri Shpakov, Berlin