E-U / CHECHNYA


DATE=12/10/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=E-U / CHECHNYA (L)
NUMBER=2-257045
BYLINE=RON PEMSTEIN
DATELINE=HELSINKI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO:  Leaders of nations in the European Union have 
agreed to cut back their relations with Russia.  V-O-A 
Correspondent Ron Pemstein reports from the E-U summit 
meeting in Helsinki.
TEXT:  The European Union's technical assistance 
program known as "TACIS" is designed to re-train 
Russian soldiers for civilian life.  In past weeks, 
the European external affairs commissioner, Chris 
Patten, has defended the program against calls to cut 
it back because of the Russian assault against 
Chechnya.
But, the 15 European Union leaders have to divert some 
of the technical assistance for Russia into 
humanitarian assistance.  That turns out to be a cut 
because as Commissioner Patten explains, there is no 
way to deliver humanitarian assistance to Russia.
            /// PATTEN ACT ///
      There is a humanitarian disaster in the North 
      Caucasus.  At the moment, we can't provide as 
      much assistance as we would like because of the 
      difficulty for humanitarian organizations 
      operating in that area.  And I certainly don't 
      want to just hand over our humanitarian 
      assistance to Russian military commanders to 
      distribute.
            /// END ACT ///
While the European Union's measures are not likely to 
interfere with the Russian attack on Grozny, they do 
reverse Europe's program of growing financial and 
technical assistance for Moscow.  The 15 leaders call 
for a review of the European Union's common strategy 
on Russia as they prepare to issue a common strategy 
on Ukraine.
The leaders want to suspend parts of their cooperation 
agreement with Russia and apply strictly some of the 
trade provisions that help Russia sell steel in the 
European Union.  They say financing in the technical 
assistance program, TACIS, should be limited to the 
European Union's priorities - such as human rights, 
the rule of law, support for civil society, and 
nuclear safety.
Commissioner Patten tells reporters Europeans have 
lost patience with Russia's indiscriminate attacks on 
civilians in Chechnya.
            /// PATTEN ACT ///
      We've bent over backwards to try to be 
      understanding and reasonable, but I think that 
      the parliaments of our members states, the 
      European Parliament, and public opinion in the 
      European Union would not expect us to go on as 
      though it was business as normal.
            /// END ACT ///
Europe will make its case to Russian Foreign Minister 
Igor Ivanov next week in the Group of Eight foreign 
ministers meeting.  The European leaders say they do 
not question Russia's territorial integrity or its 
right to fight terrorism in Chechnya.  But they say 
fighting terrorism cannot warrant the destruction of 
cities or considering a whole population to be 
terrorists. (Signed)
NEB/RDP/JWH/JP
10-Dec-1999 13:54 PM EDT (10-Dec-1999 1854 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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