Main results of the 5th Meeting of the EU-Russia Permanent Partnership Council
© MAEE
- On: 28.10.2008
- In: St Petersbourg (Russie)
This meeting, on the sidelines of which a Northern Dimension ministerial meeting was also held, made it possible to fully review EU-Russia cooperation with a view to the upcoming EU-Russia Summit in Nice.
The 5th Meeting of the EU-Russia Permanent Partnership Council (PPC) took place in Saint Petersburg on 28 October. It was chaired by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Bernard Kouchner, President of the Council of the European Union, with High Representative Javier Solana, Czech Foreign Minister Karel Scharzenberg and Eneko Landaburu on behalf of the European Commission in attendance.
This meeting made it possible to fully review EU-Russia cooperation with a view to the upcoming EU-Russia Summit in Nice in four common areas defined in Saint Petersburg in 2003: the economic area, particularly in relation to energy; visa and judicial cooperation, in which Kouchner recalled the importance that the European Union attaches to human rights and particularly its wish to see ongoing investigations completed concerning the cases of Anna Politkovskaya and Magomed Evloev; external security cooperation, and particularly the Russian contribution to the EUFOR-Chad operation; and lastly research, education and cultural cooperation.
As regards regional and international issues, Minister Lavrov mentioned President Medvedev's proposal for a European security treaty and called for an immediate high-level meeting with the main leaders of countries and international organizations involved in Euro-Atlantic security.
Bernard Kouchner called Minister Lavrov's attention to the situation in Georgia and underlined the importance of strengthening cooperation in view of the Geneva discussions. He stressed the need for displaced people to be able to return to their homes.
As regards Iran, the European Union and Russia reaffirmed their unity on the six-party format for discussions engaged by the European Union to maintain their dual approach to the nuclear crisis based both on readiness for political discussion and on maintaining pressure on Iran, as recalled in Resolution 1835 passed unanimously by the Security Council.
As regards Afghanistan, Minister Lavrov showed Russia's willingness to contribute to training efforts undertaken by the European Union.
On the sidelines of the Permanent Partnership Council meeting, a Northern Dimension ministerial meeting was also held with, in addition to Bernard Kouchner and his Russian counterpart, Norway's Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store and Iceland's Commerce Minister Bjorgvin Sigurdsson. Other European Ministers (Alexander Stubb for Finland, Carl Bildt for Sweden, Urmas Paet for Estonia) also took part in this meeting.
This meeting applauded the work accomplished in cross-border and sectoral cooperation, especially through the environment partnership steered by the EBRD and the partnership in public health and social well-being steered by Norway. A new partnership in transport and logistics was launched and is due to be operational as of 1 January 2010. A working group will study a possible cultural partnership.
Participants underlined the fact that the Northern Dimension is effective, relevant and original. It is an example of regional cooperation that works. Through its governance, its projects steered by certain countries and institutions and its financing mechanisms, it can also be used as a model for other regional cooperation formats under European Neighbourhood Policy.
Further information (Announcement)
- Updated: 26.11.2008
