Prime Minister Anneli Jäätteenmäki at the EU-Russia Summit, 31 May 2003
Mr. President, Mr. Chairman, dear colleagues
We are all gathered here in St. Petersburg to celebrate the anniversary of a historic city. There is no city like St. Petersburg. We are proud to have St. Petersburg as our good neighbour on the shores of the Gulf of Finland.
This meeting is all the more historic as this is the first meeting between Russia and an enlarged EU. We meet as a big family of 26. The city of St. Petersburg is a fitting place and occasion to celebrate this European unity.
This new Europe is a place where cooperation brings results and common problems can be resolved. We have a joint statement that testifies of our willingness to work together on a wide range of topics.
A big concern today, from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic Ocean, from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea is our fragile maritime environment. We have recently had unfortunate reminders that maritime safety needs robust measures.
We are concerned about rapidly increasing oil transports in the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. The oil terminals on these shores are not the problem as such. We are especially worried about theincreasing oil traffic in harsh ice conditions. These conditions are unique in Europe. The phasing out of single-hull tankers is a pressing priority.
Maritime safety and the prevention of marine pollution are high priorities to all of us. We must act together to ensure the safety of shipping. Transportation of oil in harsh ice conditions in the Gulf of Finland is one practical issue that we have to resolve together. We are ready to enhance our co-operation on a bilateral and multilateral basis, and work towards joint decisions by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in this regard.
Russia's impact on maritime safety cooperation is crucial. We appreciate Russia's commitment to this issue and we look forward to close cooperation between the EU and Russia also on this matter. We hope that maritime safety will become a hallmark of the good cooperation between EU and Russia.
Once again, let me congratulate you Mr. President on the anniversary of this beautiful city.