EU-Russia talks suspended until Moscow withdraws troops

BRUSSELS - EU leaders on Monday (1 September) agreed to postpone talks on a new EU-Russia partnership until Russian troops withdraw from Georgia following the insistence of a bloc of member states.

"As long as the withdrawal of the [Russian] troops [from Georgia] is not completed, all meetings on the partnership agreement are postponed," European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said at a press conference following the emergency summit in Brussels.

"We are postponing all meetings on the [EU-Russia] partnership agreement," confirmed French President Nicolas Sarkozy whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency.

"This crisis means that we have to re-examine our relations with Russia," he said. "It takes two to tango."

The talks on a new treaty defining the EU relations with Russia were scheduled to take place later this month, but pressed by the demand of several member states, it was decided this would be tied to Russian withdrawal from Georgia.

The postponement modifies a previously circulated draft version of the summit's conclusion that took a softer stance on the issue of talks.

Poland 'not alone'

Poland – one of the countries pushing for the suspension – hailed the final declaration as a victory and insisted its position was not isolated.

"We were not alone, we were acting within a group," including also the Czech Republic, the Baltic States - Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia - the UK and Sweden, Polish President Lech Kaczynski told journalists.

He added that the EU's further approach would very much depend on another visit by Mr Sarkozy to Moscow on 8 September, but in any case did not exclude considering further measures if Russia does not pull out of Georgia.

"If troops are not pulled out of Georgia by 15 October [the next meeting of EU leaders], we will have to launch different actions," he said.

Additionally, EU states agreed to "strongly condemn Russia's unilateral decision to recognise the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. This decision is unacceptable and the European Union calls on other states not to recognise this proclaimed independence."

Moscow recognised Georgia's breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states last week, but to date remains alone in doing so and the move has prompted strong criticism worldwide.

No need for cold war

However, as expected, EU leaders also stopped short of imposing formal sanctions on Russia with Mr Sarkozy ruling out such a possibility at this stage, and the summit's conclusion stressing that "there is no desirable alternative to a strong relationship, based on co-operation, trust and dialogue."

"Let's not start a cold war like this, let's not show the biceps, the demonstrations of force, blustering behaviour, the sanctions, the counter-sanctions, all that will be useful to no one," Mr Sarkozy said.

"[The EU has to] give a chance to the diplomacy on 8 September. If it works, the EU will have proven its efficiency, if it does not, we will gather and take other decisions," he added.

For her part, German Chancellor Angela Merkel underlined that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told Mr Sarkozy Russian forces would withdraw from Georgia in what she called a "very constructive" phone call.

Special representative

The EU has also decided to appoint an "EU special representative for the crisis in Georgia" and to send immediately a" fact-finding mission" to gather information on the ground.

If preparatory works are done promptly, the Council could take the decision to send this mission on 15 September.

The bloc also expressed its willingness to aid Georgian reconstruction in the aftermath of the conflict, and "decide[d] to step up its relations with Georgia, including visa facilitation measures and the possible establishment of a full and comprehensive free trade zone as soon as the conditions are met."

The European Commission has already put aside €6 million in humanitarian aid for Georgia, with member states promising some €8.4 million more.

Additionally, the EU will "take the initiative of convening an international conference shortly to assist reconstruction in Georgia," the document reads.

'Russia has already withdrawn all troops'

Lado Gurgenidze, the prime minister of Georgia told reporters after the summit his government was pleased with the results: "We are encouraged by the firm and principled stance taken by the European Council.

"We neither demanded nor expected sanctions," he added, highlighting the disposition of the Council to an EU observer mission as "undoubtedly important to a durable solution."

Russia, for its part, suggested the suspension of talks was no big deal. "We had waited for 18 months for talks to start, so we're accustomed to being patient," Vladimir Chizhov, Russia's ambassador to the EU, told the EUobserver.

"We are disappointed, yes, but we do not need the talks any more than the EU does."

However, the ambassador denied that Russia continued to maintain troops within Georgian territory. "The EU is mistaken in its assuptions of the situation on the ground. Russia has already withdrawn all additional troops. There is only a detachment of peacekeepers that remains in buffer zone totalling 500 men - in full accordance with the six-point agreement."

Mr Chizhov did however issue a warning to Europe. Speaking of closer relations between the EU and Georgia, the ambassador said: "We will certainly monitor whatever the EU does with Georgia to ensure it does not lead to an aggravation of the situation."

With additional reporting from Renata Goldirova, Lucia Kubosova, Leigh Phillips and Valentina Pop