euro|topics - Europe's reaction

02/12/2008

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Main focus of Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Europe's reaction

The conflict in the Caucasus has intensified with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's acknowledgement of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. How should the EU react to Russia's latest move?

El Mundo - Spain

The daily El Mundo sees it as the EU's duty to take a hard line against Russia: "If there were still any doubts about Russia's motivation for waging war against Georgia, they were dispelled yesterday. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ... recognised the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It is clear to everyone now that this decision ... had already been taken when the tanks rolled into this country. ... It is now the duty of Europe and its allies to defend the territorial integrity of Georgia, a democratic neighbour that must be given access to NATO as soon as possible. In addition the leaders of the EU should move from words to deeds and adopt much tougher measures until Moscow returns to the path of legality." (27/08/2008)

die tageszeitung - Germany

In view of Russia's confrontational stance, die tageszeitung newspaper calls on the EU not to let negotiations falter. "Medvedev's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states makes it even more difficult to negotiate a solution in Georgia, because it faces the mediating powers - that is the majority of EU states - with a fait accompli. The EU's six point plan had stipulated talks on how to ensure security and stability in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Such negotiations can now be rejected as an interference in these states' domestic affairs. And a UN peace mission under the auspices of the Security Council is a long way off. [But] ceasing the negotiations on the Georgian crisis and adopting an attitude of confrontation with Russia would be a fatal error." (27/08/2008)

Der Standard - Austria

The current EU Council President Nicolas Sarkozy has summoned a meeting of EU heads of state and government for next Monday to discuss a strategy in the Caucasus crisis. The daily Der Standard writes that he is taking a risk in doing so: "What are the Europeans trying to prove to the Russian leadership? Bernard Kouchner and Angela Merkel, the French foreign minister and the German chancellor respectively, have already announced that there will be neither sanctions nor a cooling in relations. Russia is too important as a business partner. On the other hand there is a great danger that the 27 [EU states] make a great display of their dividedness and indecisiveness. After all, this would not be the first time. ... The EU special summit on the situation in Georgia could be a moral appeal to remember the value of political freedom and a declaration of solidarity with a country that forms part of the Union's 'Neighbourhood Policy'." (26/08/2008)

Le Figaro - France

In its leading article Le Figaro analyses the discord among European states about how to deal with Russia: "Some say it is smarter to appease the Russian bear. Others say Russia must be held in check. ... The voices of the first are above all to be heard in the 'Old Europe'. The second are primarily found in ... the UK, as well as Poland and other European countries that once bore the Russian yoke. ... The conflict is far from over. But one thing is clear: Europe has a Russian problem. Moscow's imperialism is one of the most important challenges facing the continent at the start of this century." (26/08/2008)

» To the complete press review of Wednesday, August 27, 2008

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