Udenrigsudvalget 2008-09
URU Alm.del Bilag 171
Offentligt
FORUM NEWSNEWSNr 4, 14 April 2009www.forum-ekonomiczne.ple-mail: [email protected]The global economic crisis revealedthat the interdependency of economieshas become so complex that only com-mon efforts based on cooperation andmutual trust may open up an opportu-nity for defeating the crisis.Russia remains one of the keypartners for particular EU memberstates within the framework of thepolitical and economic project run bythe EU countries. On the other hand,the EU, both as the Community and asparticular nations, is one of the mostsignificant vectors of the Russia’s inter-national activity. How much are the EUstates and Russia prepared to continuethe cooperation? Will the collaborationbetween the EU and Russia be develo-ped through bilateral efforts or will it becultivated within the framework of theBrussels – Moscow relationship? Howis the global crisis going to affect theEU-Russia cooperation?The aforesaid issues will be touchedupon during the fifth Europe-RussiaEconomic Forum, which is to be held inBucharest. The event is supported byand held under the official patronage ofTraian Basescu, President of Romania.
V Europe-Russia EconomicForumBucharest, 25–27 May 2009One year after the NATOSummit in Bucharest, it isan honor and a privilegefor Romania to host anotherhigh-level event, aimedat ensuring an enhancedcooperation between Europeand the Russian Federation.In an increasinglyinterdependent world,the 5th Europe-RussiaEconomic Forum providesan excellent opportunityto identify and explorethose common interests,since Russia is one of themost important partners ofEuropean Union.Therefore, I believe thatsuch kind of opportunitycannot be missed, and weare ready to welcome all ofyou soon in Romania.
TraianBasescuˇPresident of RomaniaOfficial patronage
P
r
o
g
r
a
m
m
e
SessionsPalace of Parliament
PlenarysessionEU-Russia: TowardsPartnership
Debates• EU and Russia: CommonChallenges in GlobalPolitics• Foreign DirectInvestments in CEERegion• Russian and EU’sFinancial Markets. PossibleDirections of Development• European SecurityArchitecture and Russia’sNew Role in Enhancing aCooperative Approach• USA–EU–Russia:
Common Interests in thePost-Soviet Space• Media Debate:Democracy and Media• Black Sea Region inEuropean Politics• EU Energy Security: IsRussia a Reliable Partneror a Risk Factor?• EU-Russia: ChristianValues as a CommonDimension of Social-Cultural Space• Approaches toDemocracy: Universal andNational Traditions• Business Diplomacy:Economy as a StabilityFactor in Political Relations
Union: representatives ofthe political and economiccircles, science, chief ana-lytical centres and interna-tional organizations.
ReportOn the first day of theForum, the guests willhave an opportunity toparticipate in the presen-tation of the publicationRussia 2008. Report onTransformation, whichprovides an analysis ofthe economic and politicalsituation in Russia. Thereport was prepared bya team of experts of theEconomic Forum underthe leadership of Kon-stantin Simonov, Directorof the Centre for CurrentPolitics from Moscow.
ParticipantsThe Forum will be atten-ded by 250 participants,first and foremost, fromRussia and the European
Zygmunt Berdychowski
Chairman of the Programme Councilof the Economic ForumEurope-RussiaHistory Sheet …Economic ForumSo far, we have managed to inviteRussians, their neighbours and theEuropean Union states to participate in acommon discussion four times. This time,they will meet in Bucharest.Europe-Russia Economic Forum is aspecial event organized within theframework of the annually held EconomicForum in Krynica, which will be run 19thtime this year.Europe-Russia Forum is participated bydistinguished representatives of publiclife, among them presidents of Italy andLithuania, Chancellor of Austria, PrimeMinisters of Lithuania and the CzechRepublic.The Forum aims at open discussion anddevelopment of the finest conditionsfor holding a dialogue between the EUand Russia in order to avoid buildingnew walls and let the cooperationand partnership redefine the spirit ofEuropean and Russian relations.The most frequently repeated wordduring Europe-Russia Forum debates is“partnership”. In the opinion of the Forumparticipants, it is the partnership that
2005 – Krynica2006 – Vilnius2007 – Vienna2008 – Rome2009 – Bucharestshould underlie the relations betweenEU and Russia.During subsequent editions of the Forum,the attendants have had an opportunityto get familiar with the publicationprepared by experts of the EconomicForum, exclusively for this event– „Russia. Report on Transformation”.The report provides the source ofessential information and the basis forpreparation of the forecast of the Russia’sdevelopment in the nearest future. Themost recent report proves that one mayspeak of „energizing” of the Russianforeign policy.
GiorgioNapolitanoPresident of Italy;entering the meeting room ofIV Europe-Russia EconomicForum in Rome
Leonid DrachevskyVice-President of RAO UES, RussiaThe only possible type of EU-Russia relations isthe partnership. Confrontation is an unfamiliarword, which is not used in the context of EU-Russiarelationships. Direct and open dialogue is the maintool fostering achievement of fruitful cooperation inmany areas.
AlfredGusenbauerChancellor of AustriaWe eagerly persist in analyzingthe situation in Russia through theprism of USSR decline; however, thisperspective is not sufficient today.
Mirek TopolanekPrime Minister of the CzechRepublicThe EU should not stop exploitingand searching for various sourcesand routes of energy supply.Abandonment of the search wouldbe a major mistake
Valdas AdamkusPresident of LithuaniaThe true strategic partnershipbetween Russia and EU should bebased not only on the shared interestsbut also on common values andcommitments regarding the humanrights, democratic principles andthe rule of law.
Pierre LellouchePresident of the NATOParliamentary Assembly, FranceWe may take the risk and inviteRussia to Europe and the AtlanticAlliance.
GediminasKirkilasPrime Minister of LithuaniaLithuania believes in the conceptof “Solidarity” which unites all theEuropean Union member states. Onlythen, the respect for the interestsof the entire EU and its particularmembers may be ensured.
SergeyYastrzhembskyRepresentative of thePresident of Russia for the EUaffairsWe would like to develop our relationsin the normal course of action.However, we fear that the EU is notprepared for it.
Volker RüheFormer Minister of Defence,GermanyThe EU and Russia needcomprehensive cooperation. Itis worth analyzing the mutualsignificance of the EU and Russiaas strategic partners.
ProfessorAlan RileyThe author of the report on the northern gas pipeline, prepared onthe request of the European ParliamentI doubt if such an event as Europe-Russia Economic Forum, with all itsatmosphere, could be organized in London.
Editor A r t u r N e g r i
Typesetting A k a n t
Foto P i o t r D r o ź d z i k , A r c h i w u m I S W
Translation M a r e k N i e d ź w i e c k i