EU stelt Rusland gerust: euro blijft overeind (en)

BRUSSELS - Top EU officials Herman Van Rompuy i and Jose Manuel Barroso have told Russia that the euro is a safe bet.

The two men spoke alongside Russian leader Vladimir Putin in a press briefing after the 29th regular EU-Russia summit, held on Monday (4 June) in St Petersburg.

Van Rompuy promised to publish a blueprint for deeper EU economic integration "by the end of this year" and predicted that eurozone GDP will grow between 1 and 3 percent in 2013.

"There is no way back for the euro, there is only the way ahead of more integration ... As for what happens if we fail, I will not answer hypothetical questions. We will not fail. We will not fail," he said.

Barroso revealed in a slip of the tongue that Greece - which may have to leave the euro - is on his mind, however.

Speaking about prospects for a new EU-Russia treaty, he said: "I am convinced that with the firm commitment of both sides we will achieve a balanced and ambitious agreement that will be beneficial both for Greece, sorry, for Russia, and for the European Union."

He underlined his ongoing attachment to German-style austerity, saying "to achieve sustainable growth we need fiscal consolidation."

For his part, Putin praised the EU delegation for its "very determined ... very professional" approach to the crisis. "I am fully confident in saying that, these are not empty words ... the forecast is very optimistic," he added.

Forty percent of Russia's foreign currency reserves are held in euros. The EU last year also imported €158 billion of Russian oil and gas.

Barroso and Putin politely disagreed with each other on energy and visa-free travel.

Putin said that his energy champion, Gazprom, should not be made to sell any assets in Europe bought before the EU's so-called third energy package became law last year.

He noted that "the ball is in the court of our European partners" on the visa deal, hinting that some member states are blocking it for political reasons on Russian migrants.

Barroso replied that the energy laws - which are designed to stop firms such as Gazprom from dominating the market- "will be implemented."

He said the main problem on visas is "technical issues to fulfill," referring to Russia's non-compliance with EU norms on border security.

There was no repartee about Syria or human rights.

Van Rompuy mentioned in passing the EU wants "political transition" in Damascus. But he did not call on Syrian leader Bashar Assad - Russia's ally - to step down or for Russia to agree to UN-level action.

He proposed the autumn round of the EU-Russia human rights dialogue - behind-closed-doors meetings of mid-level EU and Russian diplomats - should for the first time be held in Russia instead of Brussels.

The innovation is designed make the talks have more impact. The EU's own officials have in the past lamented that the dialogue has no follow-up.

Neither Van Rompuy or Barroso mentioned Sergei Magnitsky, despite the fact Van Rompuy believes the case is "emblematic" for Russia's international reputation.

The whistleblower lawyer died in jail in 2009 after exposing a tax fraud mafia in the Kremlin.

And neither of the EU politicians challenged Putin when he said "there are no political motives" in the jailing of Mikhail Khodorkovksy - another emblematic case, in which Putin's close friends dismantled the country's biggest oil company after its boss advocated reform.