Medvedev warns EU not to turn Eastern Partnership against Russia

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned the European Union not to turn a proposed partnership with former Soviet countries against Russia.



"We would not want the Eastern Partnership to turn into partnership against Russia. There are various examples," Mr Medvedev told a news conference at the end of the summit, which brought together Czech President Vaclav Klaus, whose country holds the EU presidency, and EU Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso.



"I would simply not want this partnership to consolidate certain individual states, which are of an anti-Russian bent, with other European states," he said.



Moscow has accused the 27-member bloc of creating new dividing lines in Europe by offering closer ties to six former Soviet republics.



The EU last week launched the plan to forge close political and economic ties with the six countries in exchange for democratic reforms.



The Eastern Partnership Initiative is intended to bolster stability in the region, but without the prospect of eventual EU membership. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine have signed up to the initiative, BBC reports.