RUSSIA: The European Union and Russia have agreed to closer political and economic co-operation, in a pact President Vladimir Putin described as a big step towards "a Europe without dividing lines".
Mr Putin soured the atmosphere of yesterday's EU-Russia summit in Moscow, however, by accusing one of the EU's Baltic member-states of "political demagoguery" in pursuing a border dispute with Russia.
Yesterday's agreement, which follows two years of difficult negotiations, lays down a road map to create four "common spaces" between the EU and Russia: the economy; freedom, security and justice; external security; and research, education and science.
The two sides have promised to remove barriers between the Russian and EU economies, harmonising business regulations and developing closer infrastructural links. The EU has put its weight behind Russia's bid to join the World Trade Organisation next year.
They will ease visa restrictions, although the EU stopped short of promising visa-free travel between the EU and Russia, even in the longer term. The two sides promise closer co-operation on fighting crime and terrorism and will continue consultations on human rights, which began in March.
The EU and Russia plan to work together more closely in the international arena, too, and they yesterday restated their shared commitment to promoting "effective multilateralism" through the UN and the Organisation for Security Co-operation in Europe.
"They will give particular attention to securing international stability, including in the regions adjacent to Russian and EU borders, where they will co-operate to promote resolution of frozen conflicts in Europe (eg, in Trans-
dnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno-Karabakh), in line with UN and OSCE commitments," they said in a statement.
They promised to improve educational and cultural links and exchanges.
Mr Putin hailed the agreement as a historic step towards uniting the European continent.
"The process of forming a great Europe following the fall of the Berlin Wall continues. We want a Europe without dividing lines," he said.
At a press conference after the summit, Mr Putin said he was willing to sign a long-awaited border agreement with Estonia and Latvia, two former Soviet republics that joined the EU last year. But he described as "total nonsense" a Latvian territorial claim dating back to 1945.
"Let's start dividing up everything in Europe? No, no. I don't think so. We appeal to Baltic politicians to stop practising political demagoguery and start constructive work. Russia is ready for such work," he said.
Mr Putin also complained about demands that Russia should apologise for the Soviet post-war occupation of the Baltic states. "It does not fit with the spirit of creating a common European home," he said.
Luxembourg's prime minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, whose country holds the EU presidency, sought to play down Mr Putin's outburst. "President Putin is a friend of Europe. It is not necessary to agree on everything, but to know that we work on a basis of common conviction," he said.