Unofficial translation from Russian

Question: As has become known from media reports, Sweden's new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Laila Freivalds, during her recent visit to Riga came up with a criticism of Russia's approach to the question of the situation of the Russian- speaking population in Latvia and the stand of our country regarding the procedure for extending to the Baltic states the Russia-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. How does the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regard these remarks?

Commentary: The statements with which the new Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Laila Freivalds, came up in Riga on the subjects touched on by you have caused a number of serious questions, not only in Moscow, but also, judging by publications, in Latvia itself. Thus, we regret that, before making them, the chief Swedish diplomat had not deemed it necessary to go deeply and comprehensively into the essence of the problems arousing the concern of the Russian-speaking population of Latvia. For this purpose it would have been enough to meet in Riga with the representatives of human rights organizations and associations of the Russian-speaking minority or preliminarily to acquaint herself with the conclusions and recommendations of international organizations, of which Sweden is a member. We would not like to believe that Madame Minister was familiar with these documents, but for political reasons preferred to ignore them.

As to the Swedish Minister's assertions that there is nothing in common between the Russia-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the question of minority rights in the Baltic states, as well as to her opinion regarding the procedure of extending the PCA to the EU members to be, we are compelled to recall that in this Agreement the Parties declare "the paramount importance of the rule of law and respect for human rights, particularly those of minorities," and that the definition of the political dialogue between Russia and the EU that was confirmed in the PCA foresees that the Parties will "endeavor to cooperate on matters pertaining to the observance of the principles of democracy and human rights, and hold consultations, if necessary, on matters related to their due implementation." It is therefore only natural that the questions of the situation of the national minorities in Latvia and Estonia are an important element of the agenda of the Russia-EU dialogue. They, in particular, were discussed in detail at the recent summit in Rome.

Against the background of the deepening equal partnership relationship between Russia and the EU, the categorical statement made by Madame Freivalds in an interview with the Latvian newspaper Diena of November 14, 2003, that the EU "will not yield" as to the procedure of extending the PCA to the new EU members to be, and that Russia "will have unconditionally to accept this," sounds dissonant. Russia has never questioned the sovereign right of the EU to determine who, when and on what terms accedes to the European Union. But equally sovereign is the right of Russia to decide independently with what state to enter into a partnership and cooperation relationship.

The Russian side remains open for a substantive and objective dialogue with the enlarging European Union on the situation of our compatriots in the countries joining the EU.

November 21, 2003