EU delays talks with Moscow as France calls for more dialogue
The EU has postponed talks with Russia concerning the new Partnership Agreement following the August’s conflict in South Ossetia. Despite the delay, former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, speaking on Russia-EU relations, said it was in everyb
“The key to trust between the EU and Russia is for progress within the framework of the EU,” he said. “Granted, there are security issues, but we don't need to get stuck on them. We need to continue our dialogue, but I'm not sure we should conduct it through organisations like NATO, which negatively affect our relations and return us to a bloc mindset.”
He added: “The EU has got dynamics, a need for dialogue, for developing a partnership. In this way, we can demonstrate to Eastern European countries and Russia's neighbours that we can solve problems and move forward.”
French President Nicolas Sarkozy told the European Parliament on Tuesday that Europe is interested in a good relationship with Russia, emphasising that it would be irresponsible to “create conditions that would lead to a conflict, of which we have no need.”
The French President stressed that Russia has fulfilled its obligation to settle the conflict in South Ossetia and called for more dialogue in future.
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