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Moscow,
17 May 2001
 

RUSSIA - EUROPEAN UNION SUMMIT

Joint Statement
by V.V.Putin, President of the Russian Federation, G.Persson, President of the European Council,


We, the leaders of the Russian Federation and the European Union, having assembled in Moscow for the seventh
Summit since the entry into force of the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA), reaffirm the special importance that we attach to the strengthening of our long-term strategic partnership based on the principles of democracy, respect for human rights, rule of law and market economy. It is aimed at achieving our common goal, i.e. Our aim is to foster economic growth and prosperity, social development, a clean environment and strengthened security and stability in Europe, on the basis of shared values. (...)

We reaffirm our attachment to promoting closer dialogue and co-operation on political and security matters in Europe. We recall the general Joint Declaration and the specific Joint Declaration on Strengthening Dialogue and Co-operation on Political and Security Matters in Europe, both adopted at the EU-Russia Summit on 30 October 2000, and have agreed to deepen our partnership. We have made foreign and security policy matters a regular feature of the agendas of the EU-Russia political dialogue meetings at all levels, including at the highest political level. 

The EU will inform Russia on developments in ESDP matters and Russia will inform the EU on the development of its security and defence policy and its implementation within the fora for political dialogue. We shall make full use of existing formats for dialogue and focus on substantive issues of common concern in the field of security policy. Meetings at the level of the senior officials will be used as a focal point to intensify the security policy dialogue, including on the work of the EU on military and civilian crisis management. We have concluded that the co-operation should continue to evolve gradually and in a structured way. 

Crisis management in Europe as well as UN and OSCE matters have been identified as important areas of co-operation. As the European Union is improving its capacity for conflict prevention the dialogue with Russia in this field is being strengthened. The successful implementation of the decisions of the Nice European Council on the arrangements for strengthened dialogue and co-operation with Russia should lay the necessary ground for possible participation by Russia in EU-led crisis management operations under agreed conditions. 

We have emphasised mutual interest in further developing our dialogue and interaction on non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control, and pointed out the significance of realising our commitments and obligations in this field. The European Union and Russia have strengthened their cooperation in support of destruction of chemical weapons and disposition of weapons grade plutonium, implemented in the Russian Federation. The EU Joint Action establishing a Co-operation Programme for non-proliferation and Disarmament in Russia has proposed expanding to new project sites, including the Shchuchye chemical weapons destruction site. (...)