"We reiterate that under the continued occupation of Georgian territories it would be too early to resume talks on a new partnership agreement with Russia," said Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus and Polish President Lech Kaczynski in a statement Monday.
They said the conclusions of a Sept. 1 EU summit that froze the partnership talks had to be kept. "And we underline that negotiations on the EU and Russia agreement should be renewed only when Russia withdraws its troops from Georgia to the positions held prior to Aug. 7," they added.
The statement shows the tough talks awaiting the EU as it decides whether to relaunch the talks with Russia. Showing the divergent EU views, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said last week that the EU would discuss resuming partnership talks with Moscow at an EU-Russia summit on Nov. 13 and 14.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.