EU-Russian Treaty?
February 5, 2007
"We can talk about an agreed agenda for cooperation with the EU for 2007," said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. He added that the current delay was "clearly artificial."
Lavrov's statement came after his meetings with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and EU foreign policy boss Javier Solana.
The officials are in Moscow to discuss bilateral relations as well as issues including Middle East and Kosovo.
Strained relations
The meetings come amid a trying period for Russian-EU relations. In the run-up to a Russia-EU summit in November last year, expected talks on the comprehensive treaty were pushed back after Poland single-handedly vetoed negotiations over a Russian meat ban.
More recently, Moscow -- supplier of one-quarter of Europe's natural gas -- shut down massive fuel pipes - twice in the past 13 months.
New pipeline announced
Russia officials meanwhile announced Monday that they had decided to expand an oil export route for supplies to Europe that will bypass Belarus.
"We will develop the Baltic pipeline system (BTS) ... to Primorsk that will increase capacity by 50 million tons" from the current 75 million tons per year, Semyon Vainshtok , the head of Russia's oil transport monopoly Transneft, was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.
After construction of a second pipeline in the BTS, running from the Russian town of Unecha near the border with Belarus to Primorsk, capacity in the system would eventually reach 150 million tons, Vainshtok said.
Also, Russia's reluctance to sign the EU Energy Charter, which would liberalize the country's energy industry, and a halt in oil supplies last month, led the EU to vow greater energy independence.
On Monday, EU officials echoed Lavrov in expressing hope for a comprehensive treaty that would clearly define energy relations between Russia and Europe.
Speaking alongside Lavrov, Steinmeier said he was confident "all obstacles to the beginning of negotiations will soon be removed" and that as EU chair Berlin would work toward starting up talks in 2007.