EU Parliament spotlights EU-Russia relations ahead of Summit

Democratic values and human rights must remain at the core of the relationship between Russia and the European Union - despite the importance of Russia as an energy partner. This is the message MEPs delivered in a resolution last week ahead of the EU-Russia summit this Friday. Recent disputes over everything from Polish meat to the moving of a Soviet statue in Estonia have marred current relations. In the resolution MEPs also voiced concern over the break-up of recent anti-Kremlin protests.

The Summit - due to be held in the Russian city of Samara on 18 May will see discussions on the state of play of a new EU-Russia agreement to replace the current Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Also on the agenda are climate change, cooperation on energy issues, Russia's ambitions to join the WTO and new visa agreements between the two sides.

Resolution to put human rights at heart of relationship

Meeting last week in Brussels MEPs passed - by a substantial majority - a resolution on EU-Russian relations. It welcomed measures to ease visa restrictions between the Union and Russia as well as expressing support for Moscow's accession to the WTO.

The resolution also reflected the importance of energy cooperation with Russia. At present 30% of the EU's oil and 40% of its gas comes from Russia. Some EU members, notably Poland, Slovakia and Hungary - are heavily dependent on Russian oil. In the resolution MEPs called for "interdependency and transparency" to be the watchwords of cooperation in this field. In the last two years state-owned Russian energy companies have been embroiled in disputes with neighbouring Ukraine and Belarus over supply and pricing. In January this year Russia cut oil supplies to Poland, Germany and Ukraine amid a dispute with Belarus.

MEPs were critical of several aspects of Russian behaviour - in particular in relation to freedom of expression. The resolution expresses concern over "restrictions on democratic freedoms in the run-up to the Duma elections in December 2007 and the Presidential elections in March 2008". In addition to this it voices concern over the recent breaking up of anti-Kremlin demonstrations. Although not mentioned in the text one of those arrested was chess champion turned Kremlin critic Gary Kasparov - who has been invited to the Parliament by its President Hans-Gert Pöttering.

In international affairs MEPs called on Russia to move quickly to a final decision on the final status of Kosovo. With regards to the US plan to deploy anti-missile batteries in the Czech Republic and Poland, the House expressed concern at recent negative comments by President Putin. It also called for the US to "consult and explain" its actions so that the EU and NATO can remain united.

Disputes over Soviet war memorial, Polish meat

The build-up to the Samara summit has hardly been auspicious. Poland has been vetoing negotiations on a new Partnership Agreement in response to a Russian ban on imports of Polish agricultural products. Added to this have been Lithuania's claims that Russia has been blocking supplies to a power station for the last 10 months.

However, the most high-profile confrontation has been between former Soviet Republic turned-EU member Estonia and Russia. The decision by the Estonian government to move a Soviet war memorial provoked a furious war of words between Tallinn and Moscow. Estonians see it as a symbol of Soviet rule, Russians see it as monument to liberation from the Nazis. Parliament's resolution called for the EU to "demonstrate solidarity" with Estonia and "speak with one voice". The importance of respecting diplomatic missions was also stressed after Estonia's Ambassador to Moscow was publicly harassed by youths.

In the debate last week the leader of the European People's Party and European Democrats told fellow MEPs that "we are all Estonians now" - a view which reflected feeling across the House. For the Socialist PSE Group Estonian MEP Marianne Mikko called for an end to the "cyber war" between the two sides as Russian hackers are apparently targeting Estonian news websites.

Despite the criticism contained in the resolution and recent controversies. MEPs did not want the Samara summit cancelled and believe dialogue with Russia is the best way to resolving differences. However, not all MEPs shared this view. Leader of the Liberal ALDE Group Graham Watson said "when intimidation triumphs over negotiation…it can no longer be business as usual between the European Union and Russia. The Russians need a clear signal that enough is enough".

In a move to show solidarity with non-EU members MEPs also called for the lifting of a Russian embargo on certain products from Moldova and Georgia. In particular a Russian ban on imports of Moldavian wine and spirits has taken its toll on the economy. Wine exports account for 25% of Moldova's GDP and 80% of its production is exported to Russia.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and the EU's High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, are among the EU delegation meeting President Vladimir Putin.

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• EU-Russia Summit, Samara, Russia, 17-18 May 2007 (16/5/2007)
• EU Parliament: Human rights must be a core principle of EU-Russia relations (10/5/2007)
• EU Enlargement and Russia-EU relations: Joint Statement by Council of the EU and EU Commission (24/4/2007)
• EU-Russia Foreign Ministers Troika meeting, 5 February  (2/2/2007)