PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
EU AND RUSSIA (10 November 2008)

That this House agrees with the decision of the European Council meeting on 1st September 2008 to suspend negotiations with Russia on a new partnership and cooperation agreement following Russia's unilateral and disproportionate military intervention in Georgia in August 2008; notes that the ceasefire agreements brokered on behalf of the European Union by President Sarkozy of France included, among other things, a commitment by Russia to withdraw its military forces to positions occupied before the start of hostilities on 7th August 2008 and allow EU monitors access to South Ossetia and Abkhazia; regrets that these commitments are still not being honoured; believes that an early resumption of negotiations on a new EU-Russia agreement would be premature and risk serious damage to the European Union's international credibility as an organisation that means what it says; further believes that Russia must be held to account for its refusal to abide by its international responsibilities, including violations of binding commitments under the European Convention on Human Rights, the Charter of Paris, the Energy Charter Treaty and the Vienna Conventions; calls on the European Union to make a resumption of negotiations conditional on full Russian compliance with the terms of the ceasefire agreements and to strengthen its negotiating mandate for a new EU-Russia agreement to insist that Russia respects its binding international commitments in all areas; and urges the UK Government to pursue forcefully these objectives in helping the European Union to adopt a more robust and credible policy towards Russia.

Sponsored by:
Mr Ian Taylor (Conservative)