Main focus of Thursday, April 5, 2007

Poland might reconsider its veto on EU-Russia negotiations

After four months of using its veto on negotiations for a new partnership agreement between Russia and the EU, Poland has signalled Wednesday, April 4th, that it might rethink the situation. This prompts European commentators to speculate on Poland's EU policy.

Rzeczpospolita - Poland

Poland will definitely withdraw its veto if Russia lifts the ban it imposed on the import of Polish agrarian products 18 months ago. Jerzy Haszczynski approves of the Polish government's policy. "Many countries sympathised with the Polish veto against a new agreement between the EU and Russia. More and more Europeans are realising that an offended Russia would also be capable of boycotting meat from their countries - or turning off their gas supplies in the middle of winter. The Polish government has made a conciliatory gesture - it's prepared to withdraw its veto. It has stipulated easy conditions. There is no logical reason why Russia shouldn't lift the embargo. All it requires is that President Putin act rationally." (05/04/2007)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU enlargement, » EU Policy, » Trade, » Poland, » Russia
All available articles from » Jerzy Haszczynski

Le Monde - France

The daily considers that "the Kaczynskis [Lech Kaczynski is President of the country and his brother Jaroslaw is Prime Minister] do not position themselves as anti-European but visibly the current European Union does not suit them. They are insisting that Christian values be inscribed in the European Constitution or in whatever text replaces it and they are taking advantage of the 'no' expressed by France and The Netherlands to up the ante. ... Paradoxically, the authorities in Warsaw are at this point in time anti-Western and pro-American. They lose no opportunity to show their sympathy with George W. Bush's policies. This allows them to get two birds with the one stone: they can irritate their European partners while standing up to Moscow. All Poles do not identify with this kind of reactionary politics but unfortunately, as long as they are in power, Lech and Jaroslaw Kaczynski represent Poland." (05/04/2007)

» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU Policy, » Poland, » Europe

La Libre Belgique - Belgium

Olivier le Bussy argues that the loosening up of Poland "if it continues, would be a relief for Europeans who are counting on the energy part of the agreement [an EU-Russia partnership] to guarantee the reliability of gas and oil supply to the 27. Before this change of direction, Poland's position is as follows: there is no question of the EU opening discussions with Russia as long as Moscow maintains an embargo on Polish meat and vegetables. Russia justifies this embargo with hygiene issues and Poland believes Russia's motivation is political. There is no lack of conflict between the two neighbours: the possibility of Poland's participation in the American anti-missile shield makes Moscow's hair stand up on end while the Poles (among others) are firmly opposed to the oil pipeline which would link Germany and Russia by passing under the Baltic Sea." (05/04/2007)

» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU enlargement, » EU Policy, » Trade, » Poland, » Russia, » Europe
All available articles from » Olivier le Bussy

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