Russia agrees EU co-operation deal

RUSSIA: Russia has lifted its objection to EU enlargement, allowing its co-operation agreement with the EU to apply to all 25…

RUSSIA: Russia has lifted its objection to EU enlargement, allowing its co-operation agreement with the EU to apply to all 25 member-states after May 1st, writes Denis Staunton, European Correspondent

Russia's foreign minister, Mr Sergei Lavrov and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, signed the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement in Luxembourg yesterday, just four days before 10 new countries join the EU.

Russia had resisted extending the deal to the new member-states, complaining that it would lose preferential trade terms with its nearest neighbours and demanding assurances on the treatment of Russian minorities in the Baltic states.

The EU refused to add a clause to the agreement that would have called for social integration of minorities within the EU. European negotiators insisted that all 10 new member-states fulfilled the political criteria for EU membership, including guarantees on the rights of minorities.

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Mr Lavrov yesterday played down Moscow's earlier fears over trade and insisted that Russia trusted its European partners on minority rights.

"The European Union has subscribed to high levels of protection for national minorities, and they will be respected throughout the bloc. We fully trust our partners," Mr Lavrov said.

The EU and Russia, both of which are members of the Quartet that drew up the "road map" for peace in the Middle East, discussed the situation in the region yesterday.

Mr Cowen said that they also held a useful discussion on Iraq, Afghanistan and Cyprus following the rejection of last week's referendum on unifying the island.

"We agreed to work together to strengthen international security based on effective multilateralism. Effective multilateralism, with a strengthened United Nations at its heart, is a key priority of Ireland's presidency of the EU," said Mr Cowen.