EU, Russia should stop their relationship from slipping into degradation - diplomat
BRUSSELS. Feb 27 (Interfax) - Russia and the European Union should play the main role in stopping their relations from slipping into degradation and returning them onto a trajectory of mutual trust and development, says Russia's permanent representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov.
"It is not enough to get back to business as usual. When the current crisis is left behind and when the sanctions are lifted from Russia, it would be necessary to work together on building a reliable common European home, something we were striving for but did not complete in the 1990s," Chizhov said at the 'More or Less Europe?' Ideas Lab conference organized by the Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS) in Brussels on Friday.
The events ongoing in Ukraine are only an element of a systemic crisis facing the European continent, and some far-reaching implications of the Ukrainian crisis are much more serious, Chizhov said.
These include "unilateral restrictive measures, the blockage of political dialogue and vital economic projects, and also avalanche-like propaganda aimed at accusing each other, which is unprecedented in modern history," Chizhov said.
He said he would hope that the February 12 Minsk agreements would serve as a firm platform for a political settlement in Ukraine.
"I hope we all view this agreement as a success. The conflicting parties should strictly abide by their obligations, including a comprehensive process of national dialogue and reconciliation and a constitutional reform and decentralization of Ukraine, which would help heal the wounds of this conflict," Chizhov said.
The Russian diplomat took part in debates in which former Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel acted as his co-rapporteur and opponent.