Скачать или смотреть RUSSIA: EU COMMISSIONER JAVIER SOLANA MEETING WRAP

(7 Apr 2000) Russian/Eng/Nat

A top European Union envoy urged Russia on Friday to allow a full investigation into alleged human rights abuses in Chechnya and thereby avoid a major diplomatic confrontation.

The call came as E-U officials headed into talks with President Vladimir Putin on laying the groundwork for a E-U-Russia summit in May.

Javier Solana, the union's foreign policy chief, urged Moscow to fulfill agreements to allow international organisations into Chechnya and to investigate the allegations of abuses.

Relations between Russian and European institutions took a plunge on Friday as Moscow fought back at demands for a ceasefire in the rebel republic of Chechnya.

The day after European parliamentarians voted to begin the process of suspending Russian from the Council of Europe unless it halts military action in Chechnya, Russian politicians across the board responded angrily.

Foreign minister Igor Ivanov accused deputies of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) of living by "Cold War stereotypes" and predicted complications in European--Russian relations.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"Unfortunately, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was misled by members who still think in terms of the stereotypes of the Cold War."
SUPER CAPTION: Igor Ivanov, Russian foreign minister

His comments came at a meeting with a visiting high level delegation from the European Union, consisting of Javier Solana, the E-U High Commissioner for Foreign and Security Policy, and Jaime Gama, Portuguese foreign minister.

Earlier, Solana, in an exclusive interview with APTN, tried to play down the vote taken at PACE in Strasbourg late on Thursday.

He insisted the vote was just the beginning of a process - deputies were just urging the Council of Europe's Council of Ministers to start the suspension process - and the decision could be reversed.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
" Do not forget, the result of the vote, an important vote in the parliamentary assembly represented to a certain standard of public opinion of European citizens but it is a beginning, it can be changed if the Russian act in the appropriate manner."
SUPER CAPTION: Javier Solana, E-U High Commissioner for Foreign and Security Policy

In the lower house of the Russian parliament, deputies reacted defiantly to the European decision.

Most recognise that Russia has to be a part of the European process, but feel the vote passed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (P-A-C-E) sends the wrong messages to extremists within Russia.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)
"I don't think this is yet a decision about separating Russia. Of course we are against that. Of course we have to clarify our position. Of course we are against the isolation of Russia, but at the same time we mustn't let ourselves be ordered around in this way."
SUPER CAPTION: Yevgeny Primakov, former Russian foreign and prime minister

Former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov , said that only when that war in Chechnya is over will there be a chance to further Russian - European relations.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Deputies (in Russian parliament) can't stop the war. This is the responsibility of Mr Putin. That's why if the war will be stopped soon, then this will be a really chance to continue the European process in Russia."
SUPER CAPTION: Boris Nemtsov, Former Deputy Prime Minister

At a press conference later, Sergei Yastrzhembsky, the Kremlin's chief spokesman on Chechnya, said it was time to end cooperation with the Council of Europe on Chechnya.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian)


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