Russia, European Union Have Other Problems, Russia’s Senator Made Clear

Given the standing of Poland and Lithuania, the situation around Russia’s-EU summit that opens in Samara May 17 is very tense, RIA Novosti reported with reference to Senator Mikhail Margelov.
Both Poland and Lithuania oppose concluding a new partnership and cooperation agreement of the European Union and Russia, never minding that “the current agreement expires late this year already,” said Mikhail Margelov, who is the chief of the Federation Council’s Foreign Committee.

At the same time, “the practical people in Brussels” are concerned that the terms for Russia’s-EU cooperation won’t be clearly worded in a document after 2007. “The summit will take place, as in addition to a new agreement, Russia and the European Union have other problems,” Margelov said.

“The European Union and Russia are condemned to cooperate by history,” according to Margelov. “So, the demarche of Poland and Lithuania is the revolt against history, and it makes no sense as any other revolt.”

The Kosovo status could be discussed at the summit, Margelov speculated, pointing out that Russia’s standing is that no decision on Kosovo would be legitimate without consent of all parties.