In adopting a resolution on EU-Russia Summit held in Sochi on 25 May 2006, MEPs regret that the summit failed to secure an agreement on energy and stress as a basis for further negotiations the principle of interdependence and transparency as well as the importance of reciprocity in terms of access to markets, infrastructure and investment, with the objective of avoiding oligopolistic market structures and diversifying the European Union's energy supply.
The House calls in this context on Russia to ratify the Energy Charter Treaty and to increase cooperation on energy savings and renewable energy. MEPs stress the importance of a strengthened and enhanced partnership between the European Union and the Russian Federation based on interdependence and shared interests in the development of all four common spaces, but takes the view that the present partnership with Russia is more pragmatic than strategic since it reflects in the first place common economic interests without achieving major results as regards human rights and the rule of law.
The European Parliament urges the Commission to investigate existing cases of discrimination in trade in agricultural products by the Russian authorities against EU Member States such as Poland, but also against states in the common neighbourhood such as Moldova and Georgia.
The House Urges the Commission to give a full explanation in a timely and transparent way of its policy regarding Russia's accession to the WTO, taking into account all negotiated areas and sectors.
Human Rights Dialogue
Parliament calls also on the Russian Government in this framework to contribute to the intensification of the EU-Russia Human Rights Consultations as an essential part of the EU-Russia partnership and to allow the free functioning of domestic and international human rights organisations and other NGOs.
MEPs recognises the importance of the several established dialogues for the better functioning of EU-Russian cooperation and partnership and underlines in particular the necessity of an effective Human Rights Dialogue.
The House urges the Russian Federation as a member of the Council of Europe to improve conditions for prisoners and put an end to difficulties for lawyers to have access to some of them. MEPs point out that, according to the Russian Criminal Code, detainees should be imprisoned either close to their residence or close to where their trial took place, as exemplified by the prisoners Mr Khodorkovsky and Mr Lebedev.
Parliament regrets that as regards the Common Space of External Security no progress was made on conflict resolution in Transnistria and South Caucasus, with no real improvement in Chechnya and no willingness by the Russian side to engage with Belarus so as to start a genuine process of democratisation in that country.
Finally, the European Parliament calls on the Russian Government to honour its responsibility as President of the G8 and as Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to achieve tangible results in the further development of transparent trade and reliable economic relations and in the establishment of stability, security, democracy and respect for human rights.
