Pat Dollard

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September 1, 2008

An emergency summit of EU leaders in Brussels denounced the “disproportionate” Russian action and the Kremlin’s “unacceptable” recognition of the two breakaway provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

The leaders did agree to a call by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to freeze negotiations with Moscow on a new EU-Russia strategic partnership but offered little else by way of concrete action..

The heads of state gathered to respond to Russia’s military action against Georgia and its recognition of the country’s two breakaway regions.

Mr Brown said the unusual step of calling an emergency summit was in itself “an immensely important signal” of the EU’s determination.

Emergency summits have only previously been held over the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

“While we do want good relations with Russia, I think it is pretty clear from what has happened over the last few weeks it cannot be business as usual,” Mr Brown said.

In the final communique, the leaders agreed that the EU-Russia strategic partnership talks, due to resume this month, would be postponed pending a “careful, in-depth examination” of relations with Moscow.

“With the crisis in Georgia, relations between the EU and Russia have reached a crossroads,” it said.

“We call on Russia to join with us in making this fundamental choice in favour of mutual interest, understanding and co-operation. We are convinced that it is in Russia’s own interest not to isolate itself from Europe.”

The leaders called for the full implementation of the ceasefire brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy – the current holder of the rotating EU presidency – with the withdrawal of Russian forces to their positions before the crisis broke.

Mr Sarkozy said he would be returning to Moscow and the Georgian capital Tbilisi to continue his mediation efforts between the two sides.

The leaders also agreed to the appointment of an EU special representative to deal with the crisis.

Mr Brown also won support for a renewed effort by the EU to diversify its energy sources in order to reduce its reliance on Russian oil and gas.

Britain, along with Sweden and the former Soviet-bloc states, has been at the forefront of those European nations pressing for tough action against the Russians.

Earlier Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov warned the West to drop its support for Georgia.

He said the Kremlin wanted to see the removal of President Mikhail Saakashvili and called for the imposition of an arms embargo on Georgia until a new government was in place.

Mr Brown also insisted on Sunday that the West must become less reliant on Russian energy because it was being used as a “policy tool”.