Leaders of the 27 European Union (EU) member states are to hold an emergency summit in Brussels on Monday to discuss the situation in Georgia and the bloc's future relations with Russia.
The three-hour summit, initiated by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, is not likely to decide on any sanctions against Russia, which recognized rebel Georgian regions South Ossetia and Abkhazia last week as independent states.
France, the rotating EU presidency, softened its tone Friday, saying this was not the time for sanctions as news reports said Russia was ready to cut oil flow to a pipeline serving Poland and Germany.
France has tried to shift the focus of the summit from sanctions on Russia to aid for Georgia.
In answer to the French call, Poland and other new EU members have given up their previous demand to punish Russia by imposing sanctions, although they are still urging the bloc to issue a strong condemnation of Moscow's recognition of the two breakaway Georgian regions.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday that his country "will do its job if it contributes to a united stance of the entire European Union."
"Slovenia supports the French standpoint on this matter," said Prime Minister Janez Jansa, referring to France's announcement that sanctions are not on the summit agenda.
"We are united on the need to ensure peace, stability, territorial integrity in Georgia and the broader region and to give the region a European perspective," he said after talks Sunday with his Czech and Latvian counterparts Mirek Topolanek and Ivars Godmanis.
Earlier, the 27-nation EU had been divided over how to deal with Russia.
Poland, Britain and other new members of the EU insisted on strong measures, including sanctions, while others, such as France, Germany and Spain, which have close ties with Moscow, were reluctant to do so.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, in a bid to ease the tension with the West, told British Prime Minister Gordon Brown over phone Saturday that the six-point plan brokered by France is still valid and Russia would continue to abide by it.
Brown told British media Sunday that he will press for a thorough reassessment of ties with Russia at the summit.
The summit is expected to reiterate the bloc's condemnation of Russia's move to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia as being against international law and "unacceptable," calling for Moscow to entirely withdraw its troops from Georgia.
In a show of support to Georgia, the EU summit will negotiate a free trade agreement and the opening of a dialogue on a free visa regime to strengthen its ties with the country.
(Xinhua News Agency September 1, 2008)
