"The future of the Euro-Atlantic Security strategy remains to be a hot topic on the international agenda"

Hamburg – Knut Fleckenstein, Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the Delegation for Relations with Russia (EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee) invited Angelika Beer, Chair of the Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention, to speak about the PN Working Group on Euro-Atlantic Security. During their meeting, they discussed ongoing initiatives and deepened the conversation on common Euro-Atlantic and Russia interests with regard to Central Asia, especially to Afghanistan.

Speaking about the EU-RUS Committee agenda, Fleckenstein highlighted the EU-Russia modernization agreement, energy cooperation and the incoming Olympic Games 2014 in Sochi. Mr. Fleckenstein stated: “We need Russia as a trustworthy partner and Russia needs the European Union. The EU member states have to develop common visions and common aims for the partnership with Russia to become as well trustworthy for Russia.”

Mr. Fleckenstein and Ms. Beer agreed that common security interests such as a Russia-NATO Joint Missile Defense Program would foster a common trust-building process.

Mr. Fleckenstein invited Ms. Beer to attend the next meeting of the “European Club” which will take place in Hamburg on June 24, 2011. The European Club is a permanent mission of the Russian Federation to the European Union and focuses on the deepening EU-Russia cooperation. “Missions like this should be kept in focus as they can develop towards means of preventive diplomacy,” according to Ms. Beer.

To read more on the EU-Russia PCC activities and EU-Russia Agreements, please click here.

To read more on the Parliamentarians Network Working Group on Euro-Atlantic Security, please click here.