Date of release : 09-02-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Jean Asselborn, Minister for Foreign Affairs and President in office of the Council of the European Union, met the Russian Federation’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, in Moscow on 9 February 2005.

Besides bilateral relations, discussions revolved around the strategic partnership between the European Union and Russia and the priorities of the Luxembourg Presidency in the field of the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Minister Asselborn pointed out that the Presidency would seek to strengthen the strategic partnership between the EU and Russia during the coming months. "The foremost objective of our Presidency will of course be the adoption of the road maps for the four spaces currently under negotiation". (*)

On the subject of the four spaces, Jean Asselborn stated: "One of the main areas requiring attention is our cooperation in countries situated between the enlarged EU and Russia. For obvious geographic reasons, the EU and Russia are naturally the first to be affected by instability in this region, and it is therefore in our interest to cooperate in this part of the world, in agreement and together with the countries concerned."

The President of the Council reiterated that time was short to finalise the road maps, but he was confident that negotiations could be wrapped up in the next weeks: he reaffirmed that "The clear will shown to push on ahead and surmount the obstacles in the negotiations leaves me feeling optimistic about the adoption of the road maps during the summit in Moscow."

Several meetings with Russia are in fact planned in order to prepare the Moscow summit of 10 May 2005, which should adopt the agreement on the four spaces: a ministerial troika in Luxembourg on 28 February, meetings of the permanent partnership Council for the Ministers for Foreign Affairs on 1 April and for the Ministers for Justice on 17 March, as well as a troika for the political directors of the ministries for Foreign Affairs on 29 April. Meetings of experts will continue throughout this process.

As for consultations on human rights - including the rights of minorities - and fundamental freedoms, Jean Asselborn welcomed the agreement reached on the establishment of permanent dialogue between Russia and the European Union in this respect. Minister Lavrov confirmed Russia’s participation in the joint consultations, which, according to Jean Asselborn, "should be held twice a year, and which should present the opportunity to raise all questions relating to human rights and fundamental freedoms. Initial consultations would take place in Luxembourg on 1 March."

Jean Asselborn also expressed the concerns of the European Union over of the abduction in the Chechen Republic of Makhmut Magomadov, an expert in human rights, who was working on a project co-financed by the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights, and made clear his wish that the Russian authorities do all in their power to find Mr Magomadov as quickly as possible.

During their meeting, Ministers Asselborn and Lavrov also exchanged views on regional and international issues: Moldova, Ukraine, the Middle East, Iraq, Iran and the Balkans.

The two parties were particularly pleased with the truce agreed between Israel and the Palestinian Authority during the summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on 8 February. Mr Asselborn underlined that the ceasefire could constitute "an important first step towards the implementation of the Quartette’s road map whose aim is the coexistence of two States, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in peace and security."

* At the EU-Russia summit in Saint Petersburg in May 2003, the European Union and Russia agreed to intensify their strategic cooperation in four areas (commonly called the "four spaces"): the economy, security and justice, external security, and research and education. Through the creation of these common spaces, the European Union and Russia will be in a position to cooperate more closely in areas of common interest and on cross-border questions.