Rights and freedoms for Russians

The BBC reports that EU spars with Russia over rights:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7874110.stm

Why put such a negative spin on it?

Surely, human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as the rule of law for Russians must be advancing by bounds and leaps.

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso is promoting these causes in Russia and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for Russians elsewhere.

With these heavyweights behind them Russians are indeed a chosen people.


Ralf Grahn

Russia and Ukraine: Pacta sunt servanda?

Yesterday evening the Czech Presidency of the EU Council was still expressing its disappointment at the failure of Russia and Ukraine to reach a deal on the supply and transit of gas to EU member states:

http://www.eu2009.cz/en/news-and-documents/news/czech-presidency-urges-russia-and-ukraine-to-continue-negotiations-6545/

The negotiations resumed later in the evening, and in the wee hours of Sunday morning the BBC reported: Gas to flow after deal in Moscow. The report is available here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7834796.stm

The BBC quotes the Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko saying that the Russian energy company Gazprom and its Ukrainian counterpart Naftohaz have been instructed to draw up the relevant contracts by Monday. After the documents on the transit and purchase of gas have been signed, the routes for gas transit and gas supplies to Europe will be restored.

***

Pacta sunt servanda?

In the best case, even if a deal has been reached, EU citizens still have to wait before the heating turns on.

In the worst case, this is just the latest ‘agreement’ between Russia and Ukraine to unravel before it is signed and long before it is put into practice. Neither the supply monopoly nor the transit monopoly has won any points on credibility, lately.


***

The supplier’s strong arm tactics and the evasions of an essentially bankrupt transit country have exposed the vulnerability of EU consumers to whims beyond the control of their individual governments and the existing powers of the European Union.

The Lisbon Treaty would enhance the powers of the European Union in the energy area to a degree, but first the treaty has to be ratified.

Are Lech Kaczynski, Vaclav Klaus and Mirek Topolanek listening? Do the Irish understand the interests at stake, for Europe and for themselves?


Ralf Grahn

EU Law in Russian

Political and economic relations between Russia and the European Union are a permanent fixture, with challenges and opportunities. Russia and the EU have common borders and neighbours, where Russian is spoken or known as a second language. Even within the European Union there are sizable Russian minorities, but Russian is not among the official languages of the EU.

In other words, there is potentially a huge “market” for factual and updated information about the European Union in Russian. There is now a new web site “EU Law” in Russian beginning to offer materials and articles in translation.

Students, businesses, politicians and citizens in Russia, the EU and in partner countries can find information here:

http://new.eulaw.ru

I wish the new “EU Law” site in Russian success in bridging the information gap.

Ralf Grahn

Finland and NATO

President Tarja Halonen has reiterated her opposition to Finnish membership in the NATO alliance. She says that she has seen no convincing reasons for joining, and opinion polls show that a majority of the population is reticent about membership.

A history of post-war efforts to stay neutral, 1,200 kilometres of shared border with Russia, a unilateralist US administration perceived as adventurous and an inward looking mindset help to explain the mental inertia of Finland.

But, at least for the political leaders of the nation, strategic reasoning and the responsibilities of leadership should shift the burden of proof:

If there are no convincing reasons to the contrary (and none have been presented), Finland should act like a normal member of the European Union, which the country joined in 1995. Out of 27 EU members, 21 belong to NATO. To remain on the fringes of both organisations is a poor choice.

The government of Finland should set a clear new course: Full participation to enhance the common foreign, security and defence policy of the European Union, including the achievement of a common defence, and transatlantic ties through NATO membership.


Ralf Grahn


Background:

Tanja Alamurto & Kari Huhta: On the road to NATO: a guide for travellers; Helsingin Sanomat, International Edition; 18 November 2007;
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/On+the+road+to+NATO+a+guide+for+travellers/1135231972465

Tanja Alamurto & Kari Huhta: NATO Pros and Cons; Helsingin Sanomat, International Edition; 18 November 2007;
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/NATO+Pros+and+Cons+/1135231974078

Latest posts

I have continued writing on the European Union in Finnish. These latest posts can be found on

http://grahnlaw.blogs.fi


under the following headings:



Millaiseen Eurooppaan?

Kolme kertaa Venäjä

Stubb ja Häkämies

Viisaiden ryhmä

Ohittamaton Spinelli

Demokraattinen vaje

Puolustus ja turvallisuus

Tuomioja ja Häkämies

Kuinka uudistaa?

Yhteisvastuun puutteesta

Demokratia, tehokkuus ja yhteisvastuu

Bonuskansalaisuus

Maahanmuutto Euroopan haaste



Regards
Ralf Grahn