Blow to the charter

The Poles put the European Union in an awkward position because of Russia

Problems have arisen again in relations between Russia and Poland. Yesterday in Brussels, at a meeting of the heads of diplomacy of the member countries of the European Union, the Poles confirmed their intention to block the start of negotiations on a basic agreement between the EU and Russia. As you know, in November 2007, the ten-year Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which determined the relationship between Russia and the European Union, expires. There have been many changes over the decade. The most significant of these is the EU's eastward enlargement in May 2004. Then the European Union increased from 15 to 25 member states. This not only caused problems in the European Union, but also changed the entire integration strategy in Europe.

Russia and the European Union intended to announce the start of negotiations on a new agreement at a summit in Helsinki on November 24. But for this, the EU Council had to agree yesterday on the mandate of the European Commission to conduct these negotiations. To approve this mandate, the consent of all 25 countries of the European Community is required.

The fact that Warsaw intends to put a spoke in the wheels was already clear the day before. Back on Thursday, at a meeting of EU ambassadors in the same Brussels, the Polish representative said that his country would “keep its distance” in relation to the mandate giving the right to EU-Russia negotiations. And so Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski (pictured with his brother, President Lech Kaczynski) promised to block partnership negotiations between the EU and Russia unless Moscow ratifies the Energy Charter and lifts the embargo on Polish meat and agricultural products. “We want relations between Russia and the EU to be good, but we would also like Poland to be treated as equals in these relations,” he explained. So Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga came to Brussels for a meeting with her EU colleagues with instructions actually approved at the very top.

With its demarche, Warsaw wants to get support from its EU partners in solving its problems with Russia. First of all, resume the export of meat and agricultural products (it was suspended in November 2005 due to violations of sanitary standards by the Polish side) and pursue energy policy with a single voice. The latter is of particular concern to Warsaw, which fears that during Germany's EU presidency, which begins on January 1, 2007, an agreement will be concluded with Moscow that is contrary to Poland's interests.

The Energy Charter as an international treaty does not suit Russia in its current form, since it protects the interests of countries importing energy resources and transit states to the detriment of the interests of exporting countries. By the way, some provisions of the Energy Charter, before its ratification by Russia, were planned to be transferred to the new Partnership Agreement. The European Commission sees this as a possible way out of the impasse into which Poland is driving the EU and Russia.

Warsaw’s intention to block EU-Russia negotiations on a new agreement was commented on yesterday live on Radio Z by the leader of the largest opposition party, Civic Platform, Donald Tusk: “I consider Mrs. Fotyga a very weak Minister of Foreign Affairs, and this problem shows that our government is not prepared well for such difficult actions. I would very much like the Polish government and Foreign Ministry to first prepare support for such a firm position, and only then proclaim it. The fact that Poland can alone veto an agreement with Russia means, on the one hand, a deterioration in Polish-Russian relations, and on the other, the isolation of Poland in the European Union, which cannot but cause concern. If this veto against the European-Russian treaty leaves us alone, we will find ourselves in an awkward position not only in relation to Russia, but also in relation to the European Union. We need to negotiate with Russia very firmly, but in order to win something, and not to show our offended faces once again.”

Valery MASTEROV, staff correspondent for Moscow News in Warsaw, for Vremya Novostei