Incoming EU Chair, Greek Prime Minister Samaras to EuroFora: 2014 EU - Russia RDV = very important

*Brussels/EU Summit/Angelo Marcopolo/- The incoming EU Chairman-in-office (1 - 6/2014), Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, speaking to "EuroFora", during his Press c ontacts at the conclusion of the 2 Days-long EU Heads of State/Government's Summit in Brussels, stressed the importance of the forthcoming EU - Russia rendez-vous, including an EU-Russia Summit, scheduled for late January 2014, in view also of what has just been discussed here by EU Leaders on the occasion of recent developments on Ukraine, (and added, in particular, by German Chancellor Angie Merkel's, but also French President Hollande's earlier Statements : See Infra), and confirmed the Greek EU Presidency's intention to give the due attention to a matter which might have a wider than initially expected impact in the Economic and Geopolitical Future of the area.

- "Yes, I Know", immediately replied Prime Minister Samaras to "EuroFora"s Question about mainly Merkel's but also Hollande's relevant Statements on the EU-Russia 2014 Rendez-vous, on the occasion of current events in Ukraine.

- "It is, indeed, (a) very important" matter, the incoming EU 1-6/2014 President-in-office added, referring in particular on our mention of the fact that EU would have to determine its whole Strategy vis a vis Russia on this occasion.

=> - We (the 2014 Greek EU Presidency) shall "certainly" give a particular attention on that, he ensured, speaking less than a Month before the .... January 2014 EU - Russia Summit, (and considering the fact that, even of the Summit itself is rather an European Council's affair, nevertheless, it involves also various Foreign Policy, Trade, Energy, Legal/Human Rights, Visa, Transports, RST a.o. issues which are dealt in cooperation with EU Council's chairmanship, while Greece, as a long-time NATO and EU Member having also well-known particular Historic, Cultural, Energy and GeoPolitical links to Russia, could eventually make a useful contribution in efforts to broker an EU - Russia deal with a necessary degree of mutual Trust).           

 - "Russia"is among those key Partner Countries with which "we (EU) must have Good Relations, while also taking care to maintain the Competitiveness of our own products" vis-à-vis them and their attractivity, he also advised earlier, (speaking as a matter of general principle, but mutatis-mutandis, probably transposable also in terms of comparative advantages between various possible Trade Unions, Association Agreemenrs, etc., without excluding a priori their co-existence or even combination).

Meanwhile, the fact that the EU - Russia Summit, initially scheduled for December 2013, as usual (See, f.ex. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Brussels on the previous there EU -Russia Summit of December 2012 : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eurussiahightechcoop.html ), had been recently postponed for the beginning of 2014, might, perhaps, indirectly Facilitate a deal, given also a possibly Better overall Economic Context, since "2014 can be a Year for getting Out of the (Global) Crisis, both for all the EU and for Greece", as Prime Minister Samaras observed; Today, in his Press Conference to Journalists in Brussels, including "EuroFora", after pointing at Athens Government's reported achievement to obtain, for the first time after many Years, a "Primary Surplus" in its Annual Budget, (Interests and Past  Loans exempted), while also expecting, after a long recession, a 1st sign for Growth, the incoming 2014 EU President-in-office prefered to speak, in general, about "a Year of Hope" for Europe, (before Welcoming also Latvia as 18th €uroZone Member with a Smile in an INTW to its national TV).. 

+ "Greece is too small to play any eventually dishonest games : On the contrary, we want to keep the Right stance with everyone involved", stressed yesterday to "EuroFora", at another occasion, on the sidelines of the ChristianDemocrat/EPP Summit at Meise Castle in Brussels, the Greek Minister of Defence, Avramopoulos, who noted also the fact that, during a recent Test of a Russian S 300 Rocket (earlier bought by Cyprus, but afterwards installed in Greece's Creta as part of a Compromise with Turkey a.o.), "I invited even Turkey's representatives to participate in the events, together with various Diplomats and other Officials, in order to mark a new period of Peace, Stability, Trust and Transparency, he explained in substance in this regard, (whee also Prime Minister Samara's USA University studies could provide for even more balance and credibility).

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Merkel for an EU - Russia deal +on Trade Unions
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"EuroFora", speaking to Samaras, had pointed his attention practically at a crucial observation, made Yesterday (Thursday) late Night by German Chanc ellor Angie Merkel, during her 1st meeting with Journalists in Brussels :

- She was Questioned about the possibility for Ukraine to sign the EU Association Agreement, even after President Yanukovich signed a Trade Deal with Russian President Putin : Ii.e.  practically on whether a Country could sign Trade deals Both with the EU and Russia, taken Together, as Armenian President Sargsyan had strongly supported recently in his Speech at the PanEuropean CoE 's Parliamentary Assembly, last November 2013 in Strasbourg, while also reiterating his will to sign even the EU Association Agreement as far as its Institutional Reforms' requests are concerned. (See "EuroFora"s NewsReport : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/armenianpresidentoneuandrussialinks.html . The Ukranian Government reportedly adopted, recently, a similar approach).

A long and "hot" Debate at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, earlier on Autumn 2013, on EU's Eastern Partnership and Russia's stance, apparently didn't manage to clearly elucidate this Crucial point, with the exception, however, of a rather vague but Interesting observation by the competent EU Commissioner Fule, in reply to MEPs' questions, to some incompatibility Problems concerning mainly the World Trade Organisation's levels of Taxes accepted or prohibited in Foreign, Global Trade relations. He didn't, however, say anything there about any eventual possiblity, or not, to find a solution at least in a regional framework of EU's Eastern Neighborhood, which has often in History been described as a "Greater Europe", (i.e. including both Ukraine and Russia's european GeoPolitical area, f.ex. by famous f. French President De Gaulle, etc).

-  But such a Possibility was, for the 1st time so clearly, seriously evoked Yesterday Night  in Brussels, by German Chancellor Angie Merkel, in her reply to Journalists' Questions (Comp. Supra) :  - "Until Today, there is a situation which makes (practically) Impossible a Partnership in Both these 2 Trade Unions (with the EU and Russia), she acknowledged. But, "this has something to do in relation to  the (Global) World Trade Organization's rules", she pointed out.

=> Therefore, "we  (EU) must Speak sincerely with Russia about that", on how we shall overcome such problems, and "the January 2014 EU - Russia Summit will provide an opportunity to discuss these issues", Chancellor Merkel replied in that Crucial point, clearly stressing her personal Intention to "Visit" Russia well "Before" the scheduled Bilateral Summit (Comp. Supra), in order to help find a Solution.
+ This could be done particularly in the context of an overall EU- Russia "discussion of All these problems", such as Ukraine, the 2 Trade Unions, etc., she added on this occasion, while also stressing, in her reply to a subsequent Question in the same Press Conference, about EU Parliament's reported wish to forge a "New EU Strategy" concerning Moscow, that "Russia is and remans our (EU's) Strategic Partner".

=> - Therefore, "each time we (EU) must Speak with Russia. If someone does not speak wioth Russia, then, he can't have any agreed soluition. There are several complicated issues", such as "Syria, (EU's) Eastern Partnership, our Bilateral cooperation, etc. That's why I'll have some Contacts with those responsible inside the EU for the EU -Russia Summit", Merkel announced in this regard.

>>> To put it in a nutshell, on the occasion of the Ukranian controversy about the EU and Russia Trade Unions (Comp. Supra), a Solution might be found, in Agreement between EU and Russia, which could open a New Era, mutatis-mutandis, for all those former CIS Countries which constitute EU's Eastern Neighborhood, mainly on the basis also of a revitalized EU - Russia Strategic Partnership.

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    - EU remains ready to sign an Association agreement with Ukraine, (despite the recent Kiev - Moscow Trade Deal), while Russia should avoid excessive pressure, even if it's normal for Ukraine to have relations with Russia, and if Moscow wants to Help economically Kiev, that's OK for them, at least as far as this doesn't put any obstacles (in EU - Ukraine relations), and  considering also the fact that they were part of one and same County until a few years ago : It's up to Ukranians to decide, in due respect of Democracy, Human Rights and Rule of Law, even if "there is nothing bad in Ukraine having Privileged Relations with Russia", and it's just normal for Moscow to try to attract Kiev inside a Trade Union, including by giving some Economic Aid. But even if this might, indeed, be Contradictory to an EU Association Agreement, (as he hastily supposed), nevertheless, it should not result into excessive pressure, nor on any  eventual Hindrance against EU - Kiev relations : EU can show the Advanatages of an EU - Ukraine Deal without having to put up more and more Money, and ,for the rest, it's up to Ukranians to decide, by overcoming their current Contradictions,  French President François Hollande added afterwards briefly at his 2nd Press Conference, on the final Conclusions of the Brussels' EU Summit, earlier Today.