EP bekritiseert Berlusconi vanwege uitspraken over Tsjetsjenië (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Euro-parliamentarians have joined the flood of criticism against Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for openly backing the Russian government's actions in Chechnya.

In a joint resolution adopted yesterday (Thursday 20 November), MEPs deplored the declarations made by Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi at the end of the EU-Russia summit, where he openly backed the Russian government's actions in Chechnya.

At the close of the EU-Russia summit in the first week of November, Mr Berlusconi blamed the media for distorting the truth about what was really happening in Chechnya and backed Russian President Vladimir Putin's claim that he is defending his country against international terrorists.

But EU leaders had distanced themselves from remarks, as his comments broke with the EU's policy of making human rights a condition of developing its relations with Russia.

MEPs also urged the Council and Commission to call on the Russian authorities to resume negotiations with all parties in order to reach an immediate political solution to the conflict, which they said cannot be seen solely as part of the fight against terrorism.

European Parliament President Pat Cox had also criticised the exclusion from the summit's joint statement of any reference to Chechnya.

The explanation that Italian under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs Roberto Antonione gave to the House was that "the Russians were unremitting in their insistence that any reference to our concerns over the situation in Chechnya would be matched by an analogous expression of concern by Moscow over the situation of the Russian minorities in the Baltic States."

However, Liberal leader Graham Watson asked: "Why should we deny the difficulties of the Russian minorities in the Baltic states? They are as nothing compared to the persecution of the Chechens".

He also said that "Mr Berlusconi speaks for Europe and he should choose his words with care".

The MEPs' words follow severe criticism by EU governments. At a meeting in Brussels on Monday (17 November), EU foreign ministers decided that the EU's voice on Russia needs to be more coherent, and is going to commit key guidelines to paper.

Similarly, the Commission also reacted with anger.

"We do not share the view of Prime Minister Berlusconi ... when it comes to the present ... or past situation in Chechnya", said a Commission spokesperson directly after the EU-Russia summit.