IRELAND:The EU's relationship with Moscow needs to be remodelled into one based on common interests and leading to a deep partnership built around far-reaching economic integration of the whole of Europe, including Russia, the Irish ambassador to Russia told a conference in Dublin yesterday, reports Mary Fitzgerald, Foreign Affairs Correspondent.
In an address delivered on behalf of Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern at the Royal Irish Academy, Ambassador Justin Harman described the EU's engagement with Russia as the union's "most complex external relationship" and the most important after that with the US.
Outlining how an economic turnaround had created "a resurgent Russia not shy at defending its views and interests internationally", Mr Harman acknowledged the newly assertive Russia was the cause of some disquiet in Europe.
"Aspects of these changes are unsettling and challenging," he said. "There are real concerns about the pressure on some key civil and political liberties."
Addressing the conference headlined Russia's global perspective: defining a new relationship with Europe and America, Mr Harman said Europe had a profound interest in a Russia that is strong, stable and confident about its future.
"The question, perhaps, is what we mean by that strength. We certainly want a Russia with an effective government and administration. But we will relate best and co-operate most easily with a Russia in which the rule of law prevails and power is moderated by institutions, including an independent judiciary, a politically pluralist legislature, a robust media and a confident civil society."
The ambassador dismissed a recent think-tank report that included Ireland among a group described as "frosty pragmatists" with regard to relations with Russia.
"We accept that there are significant differences between us. And there are aspects of Russia's internal developments which we find troubling," he said. "However, our starting point has to be respect for Russia's status and role, coupled with an understanding of its history and perspective on the world."
Along with other speakers at the conference, Mr Harman expressed regret that the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights had recently decided it could not effectively observe next month's Duma elections due to restrictions imposed by the Russian government.
Dr Nadia Arbatova from the Russian Academy of Sciences talked of a "crisis" in EU-Russia relations, arising from "deceived hopes" on both sides. Russia, she said, was "trying desperately" to change the 1990s model of its relations with the West.
"Russia is now stronger and wants to change the rules of the game," she explained, adding that the country wanted to be recognised as an equal partner in international relations. Russia also wanted its right to its own interests recognised by the West, she said.
Gunnar Wiegand, from the European Commission directorate general for external relations, outlined how issues including Russia's withdrawal from the CFE arms control treaty, the debate over Kosovo's future, and Moscow's use of energy resources as a foreign policy tool had strained relations between it and the EU.
"The challenge is to develop a coherent EU policy of 27 towards Russia to tap the full potential of a partnership which remains strategic, even though many question whether one can still talk about shared values as the very foundation of such a partnership," he said.