With a single voice

Politics and diplomacy prevail, without overlooking concrete interests (first and foremost energy supplies). The special summit of the European Union, called by President-in-Office Nicholas Sarkozy in Brussels on September 1st, didn’t bring anything new. The Twenty-Seven issued an appeal to cease hostilities between Russia and Georgia, they promised they will deliver aids without having necessarily to cut relations with Moscow. The United Kingdom, along with the former Soviet Countries that gained EU membership, had requested sanctions supported by an iron hand stand against “the Russian threat”. But lastly, more moderate and fence-sitting positions finally prevailed. The document registering the positions adopted by Member-States leaders acknowledges the seriousness of the situation in the Caucasus, where tensions and armed conflicts risk extending to the entire centre-Asian region. The Council described “Russia’s excessive reaction”, deploring “the casualties and suffering inflicted upon the populations, the high number of displaced and refugees, along with the extensive material damage”. Furthermore, it “firmly condemns Russia’s unilateral decision to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Osseti”, rejecting any comparison with the Balkan scenario.The 27 underlined “with a single voice” – as President Sarkozy pointed out at the end of the meeting – the need to respect the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Georgia, refraining from criticizing the reckless (and violent) moves of Tbilisi in the two separatist regions.Thus, the EU points to the urgent need to recover peaceful relations in the entire area; it declares its commitment to supply “considerable material and financial aid” and ensure the respect of the six points agreed in mid-August concerning the cessation of hostilities, in full cooperation with the OECD and the United Nations. The decision of an “exploratory mission”, verifying the conditions for a stronger commitment of the EU in Georgia, which would also benefit from “privileged visas procedures” along with the possibility “of a free-trade zone”, is to be viewed as part of this approach. The Twenty-seven appointed a “special representative” who will be in charge of Georgia’s reconstruction, which will also be the object of an upcoming international conference. At this point the summit’s conclusions conveyed the EU’s concern over the energy issue. “Recent events highlight the need for Europe to step up efforts in the field of security and energy supply”. Just few words to say that it’s not possible to cut relations with Moscow which would risk closing off Russian gas avenues. The EU reiterated the belief that “there is no desirable alternative to strong relations based on cooperation” between the Old Europe and the “kingdom” of Putin and Medvedev. On Monday September 8, EC leaders, led by President-in-Office Nicolas Sarkozy and by the Commission’s President Barroso, will leave for Moscow to assess the “sense of responsibility” of the Russian Giant. Thus, stop to all sanction requests against Moscow coming from London and a number of East-European Countries. These will be replaced by the more moderate “suspension” of negotiations on the political and economic partnership agreement, a topic which will be addressed at length during the EU-Russia summit on November 14. As Sarkozy declared, in these circumstances “Europe did not break up”. However, as happened in the past, the EU did indeed reach an agreement in this delicate foreign policy issue just by playing for a fall.