Russia swipes at Poland in row with EU

FP
MOSCOW
Petroleumworld.com 05 16 07

Russia's foreign ministry responded angrily Tuesday to Polish demands on energy security made ahead of a tense European Union summit, accusing it of holding EU-Russian relations hostage.

"It is unacceptable for relations between Russia and the European Union, which are vital to the future of the European continent, to be taken hostage by the position of one of the European Union countries," ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin said, quoted by Interfax.

Kamynin was responding to a warning by Poland that it would maintain its veto on talks on a new EU-Russia accord unless EU members form a united front on the issue of energy security.

It was one of a number of issues set to overshadow an EU-Russia summit scheduled to take place on Thursday and Friday in the Russian city of Samara.

Germany, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, is struggling to save
the summit, notably after criticism from Warsaw.

On Tuesday German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was due in Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin to try to smooth out disagreements.

Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga was sharply critical of Germany in an interview with the daily Gazeta Wyborcza, saying "I am not satisfied with the way the German presidency has prepared the Samara summit."

In Warsaw, Polish foreign ministry spokesman Robert Szaniawski told AFP that Poland wanted the EU to issue a declaration confirming that the 27-country bloc stands together on energy.

Poland, which joined the EU in 2004, is concerned that Moscow is increasingly exploiting its domination of regional energy resources for political ends.

Polish officials have said they want fellow EU members to pledge to protect the energy security of Poland and other EU newcomers that rely heavily on Russian oil and gas.

Szaniawski said the declaration was a precondition for talks on an overarching EU-Russia partnership agreement.

The warning came in addition to Polish demands that Moscow end a ban on Polish meat, fruit and vegetable imports.

Moscow imposed the ban at the end of 2005, alleging breaches of food certification rules in Poland. Warsaw says the embargo is political.

Source:petroleumworld.com