RUSSIA: The European Union and Russia have agreed to consider creating a visa-free travel zone as "a long-term perspective", but EU leaders stressed that fears over drug-trafficking and mass immigration remain major impediments, reports Denis Staunton in St Petersburg.
Speaking after an EU-Russia summit in St Petersburg on Saturday, the Greek Prime Minister and current EU President, Mr Costas Simitis, spoke of a "sense of insecurity" in Europe over immigration.
He noted that one in 10 Greek residents was an economic migrant and suggested that countries such as Ireland and Portugal were becoming increasingly concerned about growing numbers of immigrants.
"We have not built a great wall around the EU, but the freedom of movement of citizens must be combined with a general sense of security," he said.
The Russian President, Mr Vladimir Putin, warned EU leaders that many Russians saw the enlargement of the EU and the tightening of borders between Russia and its former satellites in central and eastern Europe as the creation of a new Berlin Wall.
"We understand the problems and difficulties but the citizens of 'Greater Europe' should know when, how and at what cost freedom of movement, one of the most significant rights of every person, will be achieved," he said.
Earlier, Mr Putin made clear what he thought about the 10 countries due to join the EU next year when he placed their leaders at the back of the conference chamber in the newly restored Konstantin Palace.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, who sat at a table in the centre of the room with other EU leaders, Mr Putin and the Commission President, Mr Romano Prodi, said Mr Putin's message was unmistakable.
"You could see that with the new countries there are certain tensions still, and there was a bit of annoyance that the new countries were put at the back of us.
"I think the point being made was quite clear, that there are 15 members of the European Union and 10 accession countries," he said.
The summit agreed to establish a "Permanent Partnership Council" to strengthen co-operation in such fields as trade, energy, research, education and the environment.
The two sides promised to make "every necessary effort to ensure that the Kyoto Protocol becomes a real tool for solving the problems of global warming". But the EU failed to extract from Mr Putin a firm commitment to ratify the protocol.
Human rights campaigners wanted the EU to put pressure on Russia over its repressive policies in Chechnya. The last EU-Russia summit ended without a joint statement because Mr Putin refused to accept the EU's language on the conflict.
Saturday's statement noted the recent referendum in Chechnya, where separatists have been fighting Russian forces for four years.
"We expressed the hope that the recently started political process, as well as the economic and social reconstruction, will lead to the restoration of the rule of law, thus promoting the protection of human rights and to a genuine reconciliation in Chechnya," the statement said.
The Taoiseach was among a number of EU leaders to express sympathy with the Russian people over Chechen terrorist attacks.
"We in Ireland understand the waste and futility of such acts. We look forward to the day when Chechnya can live in peace and reconciliation and we welcome your efforts to this end," he said.
The EU leaders attended events to celebrate St Petersburg's 300th anniversary.