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April 29, 2008

Lithuania Blocks Mandate for EU Talks on New Partnership Accord With Russia 
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Lithuania demands Russia provide assurances on energy security 
European Union foreign ministers, meeting in Luxembourg, have failed to agree on a mandate authorizing the start of new partnership talks with Russia. 

EU diplomats say Lithuania blocked progress on the issue, demanding that Russia first provide assurances on energy security, including the resumption of oil deliveries by pipeline to Lithuania's only refinery. 

Moscow cut those supplies in 2006, citing technical problems. Lithuania called the cut-off revenge for the sale of the refinery to a Polish group rather than to a Russian firm.





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Serbian Foreign Minister Vuc Jeremic at EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg, 29 Apr 2008Lithuania also is demanding a commitment from Russia that it will resolve disputes with its neighbors such as Georgia. EU ministers had hoped to gain approval of the mandate ahead of the June EU-Russia summit in Siberia.

Separately, ministers have signed a compromise deal with Serbia on the start of EU pre-membership talks. 



However, authorities say the deal will not be ratified until Serbia improves its cooperation with international prosecutors seeking to arrest fugitive Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic and his top military leader, Ratko Mladic. Both fugitives from the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s are thought to be hiding in the region. 

The EU ministers hope the signing of the deal before Serbia's May 11 parliamentary elections will help reformist politicians in the balloting.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.



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