Negotiations postponed for EU - Russia agreement

Marţi, 2 septembrie 2008, 8:58 English | Regional Europe

The leaders of the European Union decided to postpone the negotiations for a new EU - Russia partnership until Russia withdraws all its troops to the positions before the conflict in Georgia. France president Nicholas Sarkozy declared on Monday, after the extraordinary European Council meeting dedicated to the Caucasus crisis that the reunion was not aimed against Russia, but that the attitude in Moscow managed to cause serious worries in Europe. The European Union denounces the disproportional reaction Russia had and recommends it to apply the six-points plan in detail.

Sarkozy also announced that new international aid will be sent in the region and a conference will be organized, to help Georgia's reconstruction. EU will also accelerate the development of international structures designed to ensure that the "parties respect their commitments".

The EU meeting draft announced that revising the relations with Russia will be one of the topics in the summit. The final text issued after the meeting denounces Russia's decision to recognize the independence of the Georgian separatist states, South Ossetia and Abkhazia and demands the member states to avoid such gestures.

The text does not include any references to sanctions against Moscow.