Brussels
The European Union under the German Presidency, intends to toughen its policy on relations with Russia, on the subjects of human rights and energy, that is used by Russia as a political weapon, European Commission officials said under condition of anonymity.
The German government and the European Commission will discuss the details of the plan during their meeting this week in Berlin.
Officials in the German foreign ministry said, in telephone interviews from Berlin, that Germany will tell Russia that any attempt to divide Europe in order to prevent a strong common policy towards Russia will fail, underlining that the European Union is increasingly concerned about the Russian drift away from the rule of law and human rights.
Furthermore, there are E.U. governments that expressed skepticism about the possibility of trying to draw Russia closer to the European Union and this especially while President Putin is in power.
The European Union will also try to convince Russia to ratify the European Union energy charter that would give also foreign companies access to Russia's pipelines in order to transport oil and gas to Europe.
Moscow has repeatedly refused to ratify the energy charter.
The European Union is dependent on Russia energy but while this is unlikely to have an impact on the European Union, it raises concerns in regard to supply security.
According to data from the European gas federation Eurogas, Russia supplied twenty four percent of the total gas needs of the European Union in 2005.
By 2030, European Union estimates say that eighty percent of European gas needs will be met by non-European Union sources, naming Moscow as the main source.
The fact is that Russia has trouble in living with the "New Europe", as it had to accept the role of a bystander. For Russia, the New Europe" remains a suspicious object.
The Polish veto against negotiations with Russia is one example for the changes that occurred in the "New Europe" and this forces the European Commission to clarify its positions towards Russia.
This also shows how hard it is for Moscow to live the new realities on a changing European continent.
But, we should not forget, although Russia does not seem to be, at least for the moment, Europe's soulmate, at the same time, it is also not Europe's enemy.
A new confrontation with Russia, now, will not be wise.
To the contrary, a realistic approach which underlines the areas in which Russia and the European continent can cooperate will be the right beginning.
At the same time, insisting on European positions will prove that a new realism in European foreign policy became fashionable again.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report
The European Union under the German Presidency, intends to toughen its policy on relations with Russia, on the subjects of human rights and energy, that is used by Russia as a political weapon, European Commission officials said under condition of anonymity.
The German government and the European Commission will discuss the details of the plan during their meeting this week in Berlin.
Officials in the German foreign ministry said, in telephone interviews from Berlin, that Germany will tell Russia that any attempt to divide Europe in order to prevent a strong common policy towards Russia will fail, underlining that the European Union is increasingly concerned about the Russian drift away from the rule of law and human rights.
Furthermore, there are E.U. governments that expressed skepticism about the possibility of trying to draw Russia closer to the European Union and this especially while President Putin is in power.
The European Union will also try to convince Russia to ratify the European Union energy charter that would give also foreign companies access to Russia's pipelines in order to transport oil and gas to Europe.
Moscow has repeatedly refused to ratify the energy charter.
The European Union is dependent on Russia energy but while this is unlikely to have an impact on the European Union, it raises concerns in regard to supply security.
According to data from the European gas federation Eurogas, Russia supplied twenty four percent of the total gas needs of the European Union in 2005.
By 2030, European Union estimates say that eighty percent of European gas needs will be met by non-European Union sources, naming Moscow as the main source.
The fact is that Russia has trouble in living with the "New Europe", as it had to accept the role of a bystander. For Russia, the New Europe" remains a suspicious object.
The Polish veto against negotiations with Russia is one example for the changes that occurred in the "New Europe" and this forces the European Commission to clarify its positions towards Russia.
This also shows how hard it is for Moscow to live the new realities on a changing European continent.
But, we should not forget, although Russia does not seem to be, at least for the moment, Europe's soulmate, at the same time, it is also not Europe's enemy.
A new confrontation with Russia, now, will not be wise.
To the contrary, a realistic approach which underlines the areas in which Russia and the European continent can cooperate will be the right beginning.
At the same time, insisting on European positions will prove that a new realism in European foreign policy became fashionable again.
Israel Rafalovich
U.N. OBSERVER & International Report