The European Union (EU) should conduct a "root and branch" review of relations with Russia in light of Russian "aggression" to Georgia, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in an article published on The Observer on Sunday.
"We should continue to strengthen the transatlantic relationship and may need to meet more regularly as the G7," said Brown in the article.
He added that they should also reflect on NATO's response to intensify EU's support to Georgia and others who may face Russian "aggression."
According to Brown, no nation could be allowed to "exert an energy stranglehold over Europe," and Russian military actions in August showed the "critical importance" of diversifying European energy supply.
Noting that diversification from oil is also an economic necessity at present stage, Brown said that with states like Russia now using by degrees their energy resources as policy tools, Europe needs to build more rapidly relationships with other oil and gas producers so as to avoid depending on "less stable and reliable partners."
Brown said he would press European leaders, who are to meet on Monday in Brussels to discuss the Russia-Georgia crisis and the future EU-Russia relationship, to increase funding for a project to source energy from the Caspian Sea.
"I will encourage European partners to use collective bargaining power rather than seek separate energy deals with Russia," he was quoted as saying.
Brown said that in a telephone conversation with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday, he told Medvedev to "expect a determined European response" to the current crisis until Russia" commits fully to Georgia's territorial integrity and withdraws to its previous positions."
Earlier this month, Georgia sent in troops to reclaim its breakaway region of South Ossetia, triggering a military counter-offensive by Russia. The conflict ended with a ceasefire agreement between Tbilisi and Moscow brokered by France.
On Aug. 26, Medvedev signed decrees recognizing the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- the two breakaway regions of neighboring Georgia, arousing opposition from EU members.
Source:Xinhua
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