Prime
Minister Reinfeldt underlined in a press conference at government
offices on Monday afternoon that Russia must meet its ceasefire
commitments and withdraw completely from Georgia - "anything else would
be unacceptable," he said.
But Reinfeldt also stressed the importance of developing contacts with Russia.
"We
can see authoritarian tendencies, but we are at the same time building
trade and other links with Russia to hold the avenues open to building
a better relationship."
Chancellor Merkel highlighted principles
of self-determination when asked whether the eventual Nato membership
of Georgia and Ukraine would push the already tense relationship with
Russia into open conflict.
"Individual, independent countries
must be able to enter into agreements with other countries without the
interference of a third party...I believe in dialogue to solve
conflicts."
Reinfeldt told the press conference that he was
thankful for Germany`s support for the Baltic Sea Initiative, a forum
for improving competitiveness in the region, and looked forward to the
EU showing leadership on the issue.
"It is now a fact that the
Baltic Sea is surrounded by EU member states and is therefore an issue
that affects the whole of the EU," Reinfeldt pointed out.
Merkel
answered several questions about Germany`s relationship with Russia in
general, and the Baltic Sea gas pipeline, which will link the
countries, in particular.
"That we have economic connections is
no secret. We can not however disregard our values. There is a six
point plan agreed with Russia that we both have to follow," Merkel
pointed out.
Merkel underlined that the pipeline was a European
project and that the Swedish government had accepted the process - a
point which the leaders were set to discuss in further talks later
today.
Reinfeldt stated that an international agreement on energy
and climate issues was perhaps the biggest challenge facing Sweden when
the country assumes the presidency of the EU in July 2009.
On the
subject of whether Sweden would follow a process similar to Finland`s
and move towards full Nato membership, Reinfeldt observed that the
countries tended to follow each other on these issues.
At the
same time Reinfeldt stressed that it was for the Swedish parliament to
decide and that the opposition Social Democrats should be part of that
process. Reinfeldt underlined that the nature of Sweden`s relationship
to Nato had changed dramatically since the Cold War.
Prime
Minister Reinfeldt and Chancellor Merkel underlined the spirit of
cooperation between the countries and pledged to continue their
discussions in Harpsund on Monday evening.
