|
|
|
Last Updated: Oct 9, 2008 - 10:34:19 AM |
French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday (8 October) expressed
readiness to discuss Russian plans for a "European Security Treaty,"
which would provide security guarantees for European and Atlantic
states as well as a new framework of rules to govern relations.
Mr Sarkozy - who is also the EU's current president-in-office - met
Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in Evian, France, for an
international conference organised by the French Institute of
International Relations (IFRI).
"I heard president Medvedev present his ideas for a new security pact
which would run from Vancouver to Vladivostok. We are ready to discuss
it," Mr Sarkozy was reported as saying by Reuters.
The French leader proposed a summit of the Organization for Security
and Co-operation in Europe countries to be held at the end of 2009 to
"discuss [the Russian] proposals and those of the European Union for
new concepts of a pan-European defence," according to German news
agency DPA.
Mr Medvedev also called for a "special forum" to be convened, at which
"the leaders of all European states and the leaders of key
organisations in the Euro-Atlantic area could take part."
Prior to the meeting with the French president, the Russian president
outlined in a speech his ideas for a pact that would include Russia,
the EU and NATO countries and would contribute to crating "a unified
and reliable system of comprehensive security."
Main ideas of the pact
A "Euro-Atlantic space" that would give powers to all members instead
of favouring a US-led unipolar world would be the best option, Mr
Medvedev argued.
The European Security Treaty would be based on "conscientious
fulfilment of international commitments; respect for the sovereignty,
territorial integrity and political independence of states [and]
respect for all other principles that flow from the UN charter," he
said.
It would contain "a clear affirmation of the inadmissibility of the use
of force - or the threat of force - in international relations," as
well as "guarantees of equal security."
The pact should also state that "no single state or international
organisation may have the exclusive right to maintain peace and
stability in the region. This applies fully to Russia too."
Finally, it would contain "basic parameters for arms control and
reasonable sufficiency in military construction," and boost
co-operation in areas such as terrorism and drug trafficking.
No to Sovietology
Russia had earlier this year already raised the idea of a European
Security Treaty as a tool to overarch the EU and NATO, to which it does
not belong. But its invasion of Georgia in August had up to now
overshadowed debate on future institution-building.
On Wednesday, Mr Medvedev also reiterated Russia's opposition to the
enlargement of the North Atlantic alliance, in particular to the east,
stressing that his country was not interested in confrontations and
calling on the US to stop accusing Moscow of conducting a Soviet-driven
foreign policy.
"[Sovietology] belongs to the past … Sovietology, like paranoia, is a
very dangerous disease, and it is a pity that part of the US
administration still suffers from it," he said. "One should study the
new Russia rather than reviving the ghosts of the Soviet Union."
Midnight deadline
To back his statement, Mr Medvedev said Russia would withdraw its
"peacekeeping contingent" from security zones around Georgia's
breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia "by midnight tonight"
- ahead of a 10 October deadline stipulated in earlier peace accords.
The move would "pave the way for the resumption of negotiations on an
ambitious framework agreement, both in terms of the scope and intensity
of cooperation," Mr Sarkozy said, AFP reports, referring to stalled
talks on an EU-Russia partnership pact.
Lithuania has threatened to block the talks unless Russia leaves South
Ossetia and Abkhazia proper as well, the ELTA news agency
said, citing a "senior diplomat."
Source:Ocnus.net 2008
Top of Page
|
|
|
|