President's special representative believes that EU red tape prevents successful settlement of Kaliningrad region problem

Dmitry Rogozin, the presidential special representative for the Kaliningrad Region (the Russian enclave on the Baltic Sea), is firmly convinced that the problem will be successfully settled if we manage "to overcome the European Union's bureaucratic approach" to the Kaliningrad issue. Besides, believes Rogozin, it is necessary to find "things that unite us with the EU" and convince the Europeans that the "Schengen Treaty envisages certain flexibility." Despite the fact that formerly the European Union Commission considered it impossible to change the rules of the Schengen Treaty, "the finalising of documents connected with certain corrections" of both the positions of the European Union and Russia's stand is beginning now, said Rogozin.

In particular, said Rogozin, the European Commission "has been assigned to prepare a relevant report by the latter half of September. The Russian side, in its turn, noted the special representative, forwards "new ideas" on how we should live in the new Europe without dividing lines.

If we find a solution to that problem, the Presidential special representative believes, it will mean that "Europe supports Russia's choice to be in the same coalition in settling both anti-terrorism problems and all the other new challenges of the 21st century, as well." The stand of the Russian side at the negotiations with the EU on the Kaliningrad Region is that "prior to enlarging, thought should have been given to the future of Europe," since enlargements always proceed at the expense of someone who has to "narrow down," said Rogozin.

Speaking of the global nature of the Kaliningrad Region problem, Rogozin noted that the Presidential Administration, the government, the State Duma, and the Federation Council (lower and upper chambers of the Russian Parliament), as well as the public should find "common approaches" to the settlement of that problem. "The position of all" should not mean, "while standing on the sidelines," watching the President trying to settle the problem for all of us," said Dmitry Rogozin.