French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the EU is convinced that it is necessary to find a common language with Russia.
Speaking at a final press conference on the results of the informal EU ministerial meeting on Saturday, Kouchner said, “We’re absolutely sure that it is necessary find a common language with Russia. This is a great power and our neighbour. To this end, the EU leadership will leave for Russia on Monday.”
“We’re ready for a dialogue with Russia. This is a great powe
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r and our neighbour. Let not to speak about sanctions. This is not our choice. We should wait for a visit to Moscow by the EU leadership and study its results,” Kouchner said on Saturday.
“We’re ready to hold a dialogue with Russia and we’ll leave for Moscow. But at first we should do everything possible the six-point agreement to be implemented in full,” the French minister said.
In his words, “till now only two points are carried out. But it is necessary to implement the rest.” If the visit is successful “we’ll be able to further discuss the Russian president’s proposals on common security”, Kouchner stressed.
Commenting on relations with Russia, he told journalists: “In your questions sanctions have been always hided somewhere. Sanctions are not our word. We should reach mutual understanding and find ways to solve a concrete problem. Do you really believe that sanctions, and what sanctions, will be effective? Diplomacy and politics aren’t based only on sanctions. I know many examples of unlucky and ineffective sanctions. And only certain sanctions were effective. Now it’s not time for sanctions.”
The French minister also stressed that the EU is ready in principle to discuss Russia’s proposals on a new European security structure. “But you can note that the situation has changed since the speech by the Russian president in Siberia (at the Russia-EU summit in Khanty-Mansiisk in June),” Kouchner stressed.
In his words, on Monday the EU leaders, including the EU president and the EC chairman, will leave for Russia “with readiness to develop a dialogue”. “If the visit is successful, we’ll be able to move further in our dialogue with Russia, in particular in order to discuss those vectors that the Russian president determined,” the French minister said.
“This crisis will give Russia and us to make a step back and give a new start to our relations if all show readiness for this,” Kouchner stressed.
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the EU is convinced that it is necessary to find a common language with Russia.
