&host=rt.com&uri=/politics/russia-eu-stick-together/&via=(none)&ua=CCBot/1.0 (+http://www.commoncrawl.org/bot.html))
Russia and EU should “stick together, like vodka and caviar”
Published: 17 September, 2009, 10:43
TAGS: EU, Russia, Interview, Politics
Russia and the EU should remain close allies. They share a common history and have a similar spirit, says the former head of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, who spoke to RT’s Sophie Shevardnadze.
The fact that the relationship between Russia and the EU is unsteady is “a disaster”, according to Prodi.
“I never succeeded in, let’s say, having a long-term strategy between us. We are like vodka and caviar, we have to stick together. We have common interests. Please, let us stop a bit and think… Of course Russia is not all looking at West… But I don’t see any long-term issue in which we diverge,” he said.
Russia may not be interested in becoming an EU member anytime soon, but the European Union’s interests are not in further enlargement at the moment, Romano Prodi believes.
“Now we really have to rethink all the institutional changes, the institutional reinforcement before another enlargement. I proposed – and the proposal is still on the table, even though in Europe decisions are now so slow – to create a so-called ring of friends. If countries want to share strong economical and political relations with the EU, they can do it. The idea is to offer neighbors friendly relations without EU membership. I think in this historical moment it’s the only wise decision to take.”
The former top European official also commented to RT on the rumors over his alleged past connections with the KGB.
“I was laughing three times during this circus. First time when they hinted this, it was absolutely foolish. The second time was when the people who invented it published it. And the third time when Putin said: ‘You should have told me, because I didn’t know anything’. It’s part of silly political gossip.”
17.09.2009, 01:59
Japan’s new prime minister to tackle old challengesThe newly elected prime minister of Japan vowed to improve relations with Russia and resolve the territorial dispute over the Kuril Islands, though Moscow says his stance on the issue is still too extreme. |
17.09.2009, 14:18
ROAR: “US intelligence is afraid of Russian hackers”Analysts seem unconcerned about the new US intelligence strategy, while many papers stressed that Washington has added Russia to “the Axis of Evil.” |
Despite the rhetoric that has indicated divisions between Russia and the EU in recent years, the reality is that mutually beneficial trade has continued. Whilst some in the new member states of the EU are keen to talk up a fight, "Old Europe" has no interest in this and sees more opportunities for cooperation and trade.
Old Europe is what we need stick to, not the EU, Germany,France,Italy,Spain .. is our immediate future through bilateral ties. The EU has a long way to go in creating a unified European federation. Now it is just an aggregation containing a three tier hierarchy - Old europe, Old eastern Europe inside but not Europeans and Old eastern Europe - they are in but what do we do with them. The EU realise it will take years and years to sort this out, when they do, the EU will probably have collapsed under its own weight. So the route for Russia must be, work with Old Europe and deal with the EU as an administartion in flux, with an uncertain future. This is the only practical way to move forward.
In theory the EU and Russia have a huge amount to gain from working together - the EU can help some of Russia's problems Russia can help some of the EU's problems. I'm doubtful such cooperation is doable politically, however. A pity.