A3-0201/93

Resolution on relations between the European Community and the independent states of the former Soviet Union (excluding the Baltic States)

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its resolution of 13 July 1990 on political developments in Central and Eastern Europe including the Soviet Union, and the European Community's role,

-having regard to the motions for resolutions:

.by Mrs Cassanmagnago Cerretti and others, on behalf of the PPE Group, on political cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (B3-0664/90),

.by Mr Habsburg and others on the Baltic States (B3-1349/90),

.by Mrs Ewing on the Baltic States (B3-1911/90),

.by Mr Fini and others on the armed Soviet intervention in Lithuania (B3-0050/91),

-having regard to the declaration issued by the European Community Foreign Ministers on 16 December 1991 on the 'guidelines on the recognition of new states in Eastern Europe and in the Soviet Union',

-having regard to the Commission communications to the Council on the Community's relations with the independent states of the former Soviet Union (SEC(92)0039 and SEC(92)0373),

-having regard to the report of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on enlargement of the Council of Europe (Doc. 6629 of 16 June 1992), which maps out the boundaries of Europe,

-having regard to the declarations made by the Foreign Ministers of the Twelve at the conferences in Washington (January 1992), Lisbon (23-24 May 1992), and Tokyo (28-29 October 1992) and the decisions taken at the Russian-American summit meeting in Vancouver (3-4 April 1993) and by the G7 states in Tokyo (14-15 April 1993),

-having regard to the hearing of 10 and 11 September 1992 on the economic problems of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS),

-having regard to its resolution of 17 September 1992 on relations with the CIS,

-having regard to its opinion of 17 November 1992 on the Commission proposal for a Council Regulation on the conclusion by the European Economic Community of an Agreement establishing an International Science and Technology Centre between the United States of America, Japan, the Russian Federation and, acting as one party, the European Atomic Energy Community and the European Economic Community;

-having regard to Rule 121 of its Rules of Procedure,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Security (A3-0201/93),

A.whereas since the collapse of the Soviet Union an area of instability has been created on the borders of Central and Eastern European countries, whereas the whole of Europe could be threatened as a result, and whereas it is in the interests of the European Community and the rest of the world to employ political and economic means, arms reduction measures and measures to promote security to stabilize the region of the former Soviet Union,

B.whereas political, economic, territorial, or ethnic disputes between or within the states that make up the CIS, as well as between CIS states and other countries, are generally undermining the highly fragile cohesion of the CIS,

C.whereas it is to be feared that any return to the nationalistic and at times chauvinistic attitudes of the past would seriously threaten democracy, substantially damage international relations and discourage many international support efforts,

D.whereas, by virtue of the size of its territory, its population, its military capability and its economic weight, Russia occupies a dominant position within the CIS,

E.whereas Russia is exposed to political struggles that could jeopardize its burgeoning democracy and whereas its disparate ethnic minorities are more interested in self-determination than the cohesion of the state,

F.whereas the European Community must use its influence in the CSCE in particular to seek a solution to all the conflicts between and within the countries of the former Soviet Union before they spiral out of all control and trigger off crises of international dimensions posing a threat to world peace and stability,

G.whereas the Community must seek, preferably through the G7, to consolidate the nascent democracy in the former Soviet Union and ease the transition to a social market economy while alleviating the most painful social consequences,

H.whereas, the Member States of the Community, in collaboration with the United States, must take steps to ensure that the arms control, disarmament and security enhancing agreements with Russia and the other independent states in the context of the UN, START, CFE and the CSCE are implemented and further developed,

I.whereas the proliferation of equipment and know-how for nuclear and chemical weapons and missile technology must be halted, and whereas aid will be needed for a shift away from the arms industry, not least as a means of curbing exports of conventional arms to third countries,

1.Insists that no political task facing Europe as a whole is more important and of greater interest for future generations than securing the success of democracy in Russia and the other independent states of the former Soviet Union and that the EC and its Member States must make this clear to public opinion;

2.Asserts that the European Community and the independent states of the former Soviet Union must cooperate politically, economically and in terms of security, not least in recognition of the historical ties that have always existed between certain of the new states and Member States of the European Community;

3.Considers that such a policy of cooperation must take different forms reflecting the political, economic, and cultural attributes of the new states;

4.Is of the opinion that the policy of cooperation must centre on the following keynotes:

-consolidation of democracy and the rule of law,

-support for moves towards a social market economy in keeping with ecological imperatives,

-promoting security and stability,

-respect for international law, including the decisions of the UN;

I.CONSOLIDATION OF DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW

5.Asserts that it is in the interest of the European Community, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and, more generally, the international community for democracy and the rule of law to be consolidated in each of the independent states of the former Soviet Union;

6.Calls on the leaders of the states of the former Soviet Union, especially those of the Russian Federation which have a particular responsibility, to make every effort to contain, act as mediators in and settle peacefully any ethnic disputes which might otherwise spread and become breeding-grounds for uncontrollable conflicts;

7.Points in this connection to the valuable role that can be played by the Council of Europe and the CSCE (through its Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) in helping the newly independent states to reform their political and legal systems (constitutional law, criminal law, etc.) along the lines referred to above;

8.Draws attention also to its resolution of 14 May 1992 on a European Democracy Initiative and calls on the Commission to take the steps required to implement it on the territory of the former Soviet Union;

9.Considers that the Community's political and financial commitments vis-à-vis the states of the former Soviet Union must be linked to progress towards democratic reform and provide for suitable verification instruments;

10.Welcomes the fact that, as part of the technical assistance programme for the former Soviet Union (TACIS), the Commission is proposing to support actions (as already occurs under the PHARE programme) with a view to consolidating democracy and the rule of law in the states that have replaced the Soviet Union; calls for at least ECU 5m to be allocated to these actions in 1994 and for priority to be given to those states that have shown a genuine desire for democratization;

11.Is of the opinion that the principal weakness of the independent states lies in the fact that they lack the essential foundations and organizations of true democracy, for example proper political parties, independent trade unions, genuinely free media, small businesses, etc.;

12.Hopes that the constitutional reforms now underway in Russia will allow the full development of democracy and the rule of law, while ensuring a more effective decision-making process;

13.Considers that the overwhelming majority of people in the republics of the former Soviet Union will identify with the reforms when the latter lead to a specific improvement in their standard of living and opportunities for them to participate in civic life;

14.Asserts, furthermore, that the new states must fully honour the commitments regarding human rights and the rights of minorities which they have entered into under the CSCE and must ensure that political pluralism is fully observed so as to uphold the democratic life of society;

15.Calls on each of the newly independent states to allow its minorities to exercise their collective rights, as recognized in international documents, and likewise to accord them full civil rights in the countries where they live;

16.Believes that the independent states having roots in European culture and tradition should, as quickly as possible, be granted special guest status in the Council of Europe, bearing in mind the important role which that body can play in supporting their democratization;

II.SUPPORT FOR MOVES TOWARDS A SOCIAL MARKET ECONOMY IN KEEPING WITH ECOLOGICAL IMPERATIVES

17.Voices grave disquiet at the economic collapse of the former Soviet Union, since it is undermining the efforts and attempts to establish democracy and the rule of law in the independent states;

18.Notes that the moves towards the market are, more often than not, proceeding in a disorganized fashion and that social welfare provisions are so meagre that the people cannot withstand the impact of redundancies and declining purchasing power, the latter being an even crueller blow as far as the non-working population is concerned;

19.Asserts that the introduction of national currencies in some of the independent states must not be regarded as an adverse development, given that, in any country, the currency is the barometer of the economic situation; points out that in the old centralized command economy, prices and wages were set artificially and the function of the rouble - a non-convertible currency - was more political than economic;

20.Is of the opinion that the introduction of convertible national currencies will enable the economic situation in each country to be restored to an even keel and that a currency with real purchasing power - even if it initially entails a drop in living standards - will provide an incentive to work and make best use of the resources available; points out, moreover, that the rouble itself trades at different rates among the independent states;

21.Is of the opinion that, as far as possible, the independent states must revive their traditional trade flows and that a payments union will accordingly have to be set up;

22.Calls for international financial aid by the G7 to restore macroeconomic stability between the independent states and for realistic debt servicing and currency stabilization; calls for the aid to be made subject to the following conditions:

(a)the independent states must commit themselves firmly to democratization and respect for human rights and the rights of minorities and to implementing the decisions of the UN,

(b)the independent states must abide by international agreements on arms control, disarmament and measures to enhance security,

(c)the independent states must move towards a social market economy in keeping with ecological imperatives;

(d)privatization must be introduced and investments protected;

23.Is likewise of the opinion that the above-mentioned macroeconomically oriented international financial aid should be backed up by technical aid centering on TACIS with the following priorities:

-training in management methods - not least in financial sectors - and production techniques (to ensure that resources are put to most effective use),

-better farming techniques (to reduce losses at harvest time) and expansion of the agri-foodstuffs sector,

-modernization of transport and telecommunications systems,

-conversion of defence industries with a view to meeting civilian needs,

-decommissioning of the 16 most dangerous nuclear power stations (RBMK type) and transfers of Community technologies to improve energy efficiency and to ensure the gradual replacement of VVER type nuclear plants by using clean coal and gas technologies (in particular co-generation) and the upgrading of renewable forms of energy;

24.Believes that the European Energy Charter should be implemented as a matter of urgent necessity;

25.Points to the importance of training in the current transitional phase; welcomes the fact that the TEMPUS programme is to be extended to include the independent states and that specific training programmes will be implemented until such time as the European Training Foundation - whose operating range must encompass the former Soviet Union - is in a position to take up its normal activities; deplores the fact that the Council has as yet been unable to decide on the Foundation's seat;

26.Points to the considerable importance of the Rhine-Danube link, which provides the newly independent states bordering the Black Sea with a route to the European Community's industrial heartland and will enable them to trade with a number of Central and Eastern European countries; is of the opinion that the link could also be used to open up other newly independent states under the terms of transit agreements;

27.Urges that international technical assistance - including that provided by the European Community - should serve to make industry and agriculture environmentally more sustainable, thereby ensuring that the errors of the past - such as the Chernobyl and Aral Sea disasters - are not repeated;

28.Calls also for the conversion of the defence industry to go hand in hand with similar moves in the West and for former Soviet scientists to be given the opportunity to work in other technologically advanced sectors; points out that setting up an International Centre for Research and Technology in Moscow is undoubtedly a helpful response, but insufficient to cope with a possible brain drain of erstwhile Soviet intellectuals; welcomes the fact that a centre is to be set up in Kiev and that a branch of the Moscow centre is to be opened in Kazakhstan;

29.Deplores the fact that Russia has not yet ratified the agreement to establish the International Centre for Research and Technology, for which the EC has already allocated funds, and urges the Russian Government and Parliament to do so as soon as possible;

III. GREATER STABILITY AND SECURITY

30.Hopes that democratic forces and movements will become established in the Russian Federation and the other states of the former Soviet Union, as only democratically-based internal structures can promote stability and hence security;

31.Points out that the CSCE has done much to preserve stability on the European continent since the collapse of the Soviet empire;

32.Applauds the last summit of CSCE Heads of State or Government (9-10 June 1992, in Helsinki), which has served to strengthen crisis prevention machinery and established the office of High Commissioner on National Minorities; also welcomes the fact that the CSCE has been recognized as a regional organization pursuant to Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter;

33.Is of the opinion that the CSCE process must be backed up by arbitration arrangements as a way of helping to resolve the intractable conflicts bedevilling parts of the former Soviet Union;

34.Points to the important role being performed by the North Atlantic Cooperation Council as a forum for dialogue between the NATO countries and those of the defunct Warsaw Pact - including, now, the independent states of the former Soviet Union; is of the opinion that NATO, in agreement with the authorities of the independent states, should provide logistical support for the delivery of humanitarian aid to conflict zones inside the territory of the former Soviet Union;

35.Is of the opinion, however, that should the CSCE prove incapable of resolving the conflicts within the former Soviet Union, those conflicts should be brought before the United Nations Security Council, given that some of them pose a threat to world peace;

36.Is aware that the stability and cohesion of the Russian Federation will be challenged by increasing manifestations of national consciousness, especially in Tatarstan and Bachkortostan, as well as by the growing conflicts in the northern Caucasus (North Ossetia, Chechen-Ingushetiya and Dagestan);

37.Expresses similar anxiety at the internal developments in Georgia, the Republic of Moldova (Transnistria and the Gagauzi minority), Azerbaijan and Tajikistan; draws attention, as far as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is concerned, to its previous resolutions and welcomes the fact that the parties involved have accepted the CSCE peace plan, as indicated in the statement issued by EPC on 24 June 1993; calls on countries outside the former Soviet Union to refrain from any form of interference in the above conflicts, which must be resolved by peaceful means; calls especially on Turkey to guarantee the free passage of humanitarian aid destined for Armenia;

38.Notes the rivalry between Turkey and Iran in the states of the Caucasus and Central Asia (Turkestan); believes that it is in the Community's long-term interests to encourage a system of collective security based on existing organizations (in particular the CSCE) and develop political, economic and cultural cooperation links with each of those countries; draws attention to the decision of the EC-Turkey Association Council to enter into trilateral cooperation with the independent states in the spirit of the principles of Community policy;

39.Believes that the EC and the Member States, in cooperation with the United States, should assist in the dismantling of nuclear, biological, chemical and conventional arsenals of the former Soviet armed forces by making available technology which prevents damage to the environment;

40.Calls on the independent States to take action to prevent the export of expertise in the production of weapons of mass destruction;

41.Calls on the independent states to take action to prevent exports of conventional arms to potential conflict regions;

42.Calls on the Ukraine to accede to the non-proliferation Treaty as a state without nuclear arms and to ratify the START I accord, since these gestures can only have a positive effect on relations between the Ukraine and the West;

IV.EXPANSION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND THE INDEPENDENT STATES

43.Notes the resolve expressed by the Council and Commission to conclude partnership and cooperation agreements with the independent states;

44.Calls for similar agreements to be concluded with the other independent states;

45.Is of the opinion, however, that such agreements should take account of:

-the degree to which the countries are complying with the principles set out in the declaration of 16 December 1991 on the 'guidelines on the recognition of new states in Eastern Europe and in the Soviet Union',

-the degree of democratization attained (political pluralism, freedom of the press and the media, respect for human rights),

-the attitude of each country towards its minorities,

-the countries' ties with European culture and tradition and their willingness and ability to participate in Europe's democratic institutions,

-their commitment to a social market economy;

46.Believes that such agreements should be asymmetrical, with the possibility of different agreements for different countries; believes that in the long term a free trade zone could be agreed with Russia, provided that Russia respects all its obligations under GATT;

47.Is likewise of the opinion that the Community should encourage the independent states to establish more closely knit regional groupings, taking into account specific common traits, and cooperate with the countries of central and Eastern Europe;

48.Calls for the partnership and cooperation agreements to institute a political dialogue with the independent states having roots in European culture and tradition;

49.Calls for the EC, when making appropriations available, to encourage triangular transactions - if possible up to a level of 50% - between the EC, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the independent states;

50.Calls also for joint parliamentary committees be set up under the agreements and exchanges of civil servants organized with a view to affording partner countries a better insight into the workings of the Community institutions;

51.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and Council, the Council of Europe, the CSCE, the UN, and the governments of the newly independent states of the former Soviet Union.