Azerbaijan, Baku, 27 May / Trend corr E.Tanriverdiyeva / The Polish-Swedish initiative on European Union's partnership with several CIS countries may positively affect the post-Soviet states, but will break the relations with Russia who has its influence and interests in the region. "The initiative will lead to insignificant improvements for these countries, but will deteriorate relations with Russia and it will bring blows to the economies of the post-Soviet states," Russian politician Sergey Markov said.
During the meeting of the EU Council of Foreign Ministers in Brussels on 26 May, a Polish-Swedish initiative 'Eastern partnership' was made which envisages strengthening relations with such countries as Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Belarus. The foreign ministers of Slovenia, France and Czech Republic have already supported this project.
If the citizens of these countries gains an opportunity to freely go to Europe and receiving visas will be easy for them, it may only glad Russia, the Director of Political Studies Institute, Markov, reported to Trend via telephone from Moscow on 27 May. "However, I have grounds to have doubts that it will be limited with simplification of visa and economic co-operation. The matter is to establish political relations," the expert said.
He considers that there will be no positive results from the EU political influence upon the post-Soviet states. "EU participated in interrupting settlement between Moldova and Trans-Dniestr region. In essence, the low living standard in Moldova is the direct responsibility of the EU, which does not give an opportunity to regulate relations between Georgia and Abkhazia. The EU presented obstacles for unification of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan in single economic zone and thereby, caused lowering in living standards in these countries," the politician said.
Markov said that the initiative 'Eastern partnership' was suggested by Poland and part of its official ideology is Rusophobia.
"The Polish-Swedish initiative appears to be an attempt to send the message that the Union has not forgotten its eastern neighbours," expert on European Integration Dimitris Tsarouhas said. "The Union is set to discuss the issue in June, and it is not very likely to respond with one voice. Major member states, such as Germany, will surely back the idea but countries such as Italy and Spain are more likely to view the whole thing as a distraction," Tsarouhas said to Trend via e-mail on 27 May.
According to the expert, Set to operate under Commission guidance and funded from the ENP budget, the initiative has yet to be spelled out in clear terms. However, it seems likely to have a twofold mission: first, to promote political and economic reforms in the countries concerned, and secondly to improve the Union's image through initiatives on issues of low politics. "In that context, the proposal seems to me acceptable to all members if it sticks to a low common denominator and makes clear that the issue of EU membership does not form part of this initiative - in this way distilling fears that countries such as the Ukraine could use the forum as a bargaining chip," he said.
"All in all, it seems to me that the success or failure of this initiative will depend mostly on the extent to which it becomes part of an overall EU policy towards its Eastern neighbours and gets unlocked from intergovernmental, country-specific interests in the region," Tsarouhas wrote.
Azerbaijan as possible participant in the project positively treats 'Eastern Partnership' initiative and deepening of relations with EU. " Azerbaijan has different formats of mutual relations with EU. Azerbaijan is interested in further expansion of cooperation with EU. EU is one of the key foreign priorities for Azerbaijan. So, we will continue cooperation with EU and will expand both the range of issues and their quality," official representative of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Khazar Ibrahim said to Trend on 27 May.
On 26 May, British Daily Telegraph expressed concerns that Poland's initiative may infuriate Russia. According to the newspaper, Russia may dislike the fact that EU tries to strengthen its influence in the former USSR area through the 'Eastern Partnership', Rosbalt news agency reported.
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