EU, Russia signal closer ties at Portugal summit
The European Union and Russia moved closer on thorny issues of trade and political relations at a summit here on Friday that steered clear of confrontation on major policy disputes.
Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and EU leaders hailed a "constructive" meeting and voiced the hope that stalled partnership talks between Brussels and Moscow would begin in the coming months.
The European Union welcomed Moscow`s commitment to invite observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to monitor Russian parliamentary elections on December 2.
Brussels also reiterated its support for Russia`s bid to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and signed a deal with Moscow to raise import quotas on certain types of Russian steel.
The summit was hosted by Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, in a former royal residence in the town of Mafra, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Lisbon.
At the last EU-Russia summit earlier this year, Putin and EU leaders had a major fall-out over the state of democracy in Russia and EU officials had been hoping to improve relations.
The signs were less than encouraging after Putin warned Europe on Thursday over its stance on Iran`s nuclear programme and the future status of Kosovo, as well as complaining about alleged EU curbs on Russian investment.
But there were few signs of differences with the EU`s foreign policy chief Javier Solana and European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso on Friday at what was Putin`s last EU-Russia summit as president.
Putin, who is to step down by May 2008, said that trade turnover between the European Union and Russia had risen five times since he came to power in 2000 and talked up the prospect of improved political ties.
"We hope to be able to not only start negotiations on a new partnership agreement but already have an agreed draft document soon," Putin told EU leaders at the start of talks, the Kremlin press service said.
The EU`s External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told AFP she hoped partnership talks could start at the next summit, which is to be held in June 2008 in the energy-rich Russian region of Khanty-Mansyisk in Siberia.
The negotiations are seen as vital because they are intended to set rules on energy relations with Russia, which the European Union depends on for around a quarter of its total oil and gas consumption.
EU member state Poland has so far blocked the start of negotiations in retaliation against a Russian ban on meat and other food imports from Poland imposed in 2005 over health concerns.
But the victory on Sunday in Poland`s parliamentary elections of a pro-European party that has vowed to improve relations with Russia has raised hopes of a breakthrough in the dispute.
A top Kremlin official was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying after the summit on Friday that Poland had agreed to allow in Russian meat inspectors, saying this was a "positive signal" in ties.
A European Commission official also said that Russia had taken a "small step" towards meeting EU concerns over timber export tariffs -- a major stumbling block for Russia`s WTO accession bid.
Russia`s commitment to invite observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe to monitor parliamentary elections in December was seen as a further encouraging sign by EU officials.
"We are pleased that Russia has agreed to invite OSCE observers... according to normal OSCE standards and practices," said Barroso. A Kremlin spokesman later confirmed that Russia would invite observers in the coming days.
Ahead of the summit, EU and Russian industry chiefs had talked up booming business between Europe and Russia but warned that brewing political disputes could harm trade ties.
"We all see a very positive trend in economic relations between Russia and the European Union... but if you look at the politics it`s a lot worse," Anatoly Chubais, CEO of Russia`s electricity monopoly UES, told reporters.
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