The text approved by the EU Parliament today highlights that the Chechen situation "keeps being an obstacle" to relations between the EU and Russia; it insists on condemning the "many violations of human rights committed in Chechnya". The government of Moscow is called to take urgent and effective measures "to eradicate torture, other forms of abuse and arbitrary detention" in that Republic. After attracting attention to the "difficult working conditions of the press, including foreign correspondents, in the Russian Federation" and to "the pressures and threats they are the victims of", it expresses "concern" for the limitation of democratic rights in the run-up to the election of the Duma in December and the president’s election in March 2008. The document voted in Strasbourg then considers the trade relations between the EU and Russia, the opportunities for mutual private investments, space cooperation. Finally, it gives a positive judgement of the increase in dialogue on energy issues. Parliament recognises the importance of Russian energy sources for the Union. In this respect, trade and economic cooperation "must be based on principles of interdependence and transparency as well as on equal access to markets, facilities and investments".
