Russia and the European Union stressed their unity and steered away from open disputes at a summit in Stockholm today as they sought each other"s backing on issues of trade and climate change, according to dpa. The EU is keen to enlist Russian support for an ambitious deal on fighting global warming at United Nations talks in Copenhagen in December, while Russia wants the EU"s support in joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) as soon as possible. The summit "confirmed our common objective - a strategic partnership built on trust and transparency," said Sweden"s Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, who hosted the summit as the current holder of the EU"s rotating presidency. His guest, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, hailed the talks as "constructive, without any kind of emotions blocking cooperation." At the summit, EU leaders said that Medvedev had pledged to cut his country"s greenhouse gas emissions to 20-25 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 - an improvement of 10 per cent on earlier offers, and one which brings Russia"s pledge in line with the EU"s own. The announcement of the goal should make it easier for the EU to demand emissions cuts from other key players, especially the United States and Canada, in Copenhagen, leaders said. "Russia is very important on climate issues. It is important to get a deal in Copenhagen, and it is important what Russia does itself: it is one of the biggest greenhouse gas emitters in the world," Reinfeldt said. Medvedev concurred, saying that "we now have an agreement to convince other colleagues to be more serious about this" in Copenhagen, without specifying the exact emissions target himself. According to the International Energy Agency, Russia"s current emissions are some 30 per cent below 1990 levels because of the collapse of the country"s Soviet-era industry, meaning that the new target would allow it to boost emissions in the coming decade. EU officials said that Russia would be able to bring its emissions down rapidly by investing in low-emissions technology. They stressed that European companies are world leaders in that field, suggesting future trade and investment possibilities. The two sides also played down their differences over Russia"s bid for WTO accession. The EU is keen to usher Russia into the trade body so that European companies can enjoy a less politicized business climate in the country. But Russia threw talks into disarray in June when it announced plans to launch a customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan for January 2010. That provoked fears in the EU that Russia could bring in new tariffs which would harm European businesses. Those fears were "groundless" because the customs union"s tariffs would be in line with WTO commitments, Medvedev said Wednesday. The only open question is whether the members of the union will join the WTO together or separately, an issue which is likely to be decided in a meeting on November 27, he said. "We will opt for the shortest way," Medvedev said.
