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http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/36159E7D-F4B6-44BF-A250-F681B9DEA66C.htm

[Poland entered the EU in May last year]

Poland veto unacceptable to Russia

Poland has threatened to veto talks on a co-operation pact between
Russia and the EU unless Moscow guarantees secure energy supplies
and lifts its ban on Polish food imports.

Sergei Yastrzhembsky, the EU envoy to Vladimir Putin, the Russian president,
called Poland's threat unacceptable.

"There are partners who are trying to bring their purely domestic problems to
the European level and to drag the EU into settling scores ...
which is unacceptable for us," he said.

The EU summit with Putin, due to take place on November 24,
would cover energy, trade and human rights issues.

Yastrzhembsky said Russia hoped that the EU would resolve the row
with Poland but would not be overly concerned if it failed to do so before
next week's summit.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU external relations commissioner,
called on Poland to lift its objections to the talks with Russia,
saying that the summit would go ahead regardless.

Diplomats say Moscow is well aware of how badly the EU needs its oil and gas.

Recently, a Nato economic committee said that a Russian-backed "Opec for gas"
was possible, suggesting that Russia might be aiming to draw Algeria, Libya, Qatar,
the countries of central Asia and possibly also Iran into an energy cartel.

Russia supplies a quarter of Europe's gas and Nato sources sees such an
association as strengthening Moscow's hand in its relations with Europe and
particularly with its neighbours, Ukraine and Georgia.


Jan Rasmussen