POLAND:Poland has blocked the EU from starting talks on a new political agreement with Russia at a summit in Helsinki today, citing national sovereignty as a reason.
The decision by Warsaw is a major disappointment for the other 24 EU member states, which had lobbied Poland for more than two weeks to lift its veto.
It effectively removes the key agenda item from the EU-Russia summit and exposes the divisions between member states over how to develop the EU's relationship with Russia.
Warsaw is insisting that Russia lift its one-year ban on Polish meat and certain food exports before talks on an agreement covering energy, human rights and trade can begin.
It says Russia's ban is politically motivated and reflects the difficult relationship the two countries have shared since the fall of communism.
Polish foreign minister Anna Fotyga, speaking on a visit to Oslo, said Poland was willing to risk its reputation in the EU over what she called a matter of sovereignty. "What kind of damage can be [deemed acceptable] when you fight for your sovereignty? You wage everything for this. Everything, even reputation," she said.
Warsaw rejected a final attempt by the current holder of the EU presidency, Finland, to find a compromise over the mandate to begin talks with Russia yesterday. This would have seen the EU issue a statement demanding an urgent lifting of the export ban as it began the negotiations with Russia on the new political agreement.
EU diplomats openly expressed their disappointment at the failure to change Poland's position on using its veto. Both the European Commission and member states are eager to start talks on the political agreement, which they hope will include strong commitments from Russia to ensure a secure energy supply for the union.
In an unusual move, Finnish prime minister Matti Vanhanen flew to Warsaw last week for dinner with Polish prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski to try to change his mind.
Commission president José Manuel Barroso also tried in vain to persuade Poland not to use its veto by telephoning Mr Kaczynski to promise that he would ask Mr Putin at the summit to lift the embargo on Polish meat "as a matter of urgency".
But Mr Kaczynski, who heads a Euro-sceptic government that faces a second round of local elections on Sunday, was not for turning. Moscow said the problem was on the European side. "We think Brussels should be disappointed to some extent as this was a perfect opportunity to initiate these negotiations. Most likely we will lose this opportunity," said a Kremlin spokesman.
But Russia has also raised the political tension this week by threatening to ban all EU meat imports from January due to objections to food safety standards in Bulgaria and Romania, which will join the EU in January.
The EU says it has already put in place restrictions to ensure that unsafe meat from these countries cannot enter the European market or any other outside market. But this issue, which will be of great interest to Irish farmers, is certain to be top of the agenda at today's summit.
"There is compassion for the Polish situation," one senior western European diplomat said yesterday, but he added: "Beyond a certain point it becomes a difficult partner using a disproportionate strategy." - ( Additional reporting: Reuters)