Russian draft a good start for European security treaty – former MP

The Russian draft of a European security treaty is a good platform to begin discussion, said a former member of the European Parliament, Giulietto Chiesa.

“Another question is to understand if Europe – I mean the European Union and the rest of the European countries – are prepared to begin this discussion. It is a very broad issue,” Chiesa added.

When the idea was first presented by President Medvedev in December last year, “it seemed too generic.”

Now, however, “we have a very clear document,” he said. It is designed more to strengthen security than to defend future member states of the agreement from outside attacks. “It was conceived to avoid the situations like the war of Georgia against South Ossetia, this very clearly emerges from the document,” Chiesa noted.

Now the question is whether other partners are ready to begin this discussion. First, the EU should give its answer. “The second answer – and the most important – is from NATO,” he said, and it is questionable whether NATO will be able to agree with this kind of proposal.