Integration Into United Europe Is Russia's Strategic Goal

A public organisation whose declared aim is to integrate Russia into Europe was founded in Moscow on Friday. The new structure was set up on the initiative of some well-known Russian politicians and businessmen and has come to be known as the Russia and United Europe public committee. The founding meeting adopted a declaration of intent, which stresses that "integration into a united Europe is Russia's strategic goal". Integration into principal European institutions "can give Russia and the entire continent true security and prosperity", believe the authors of the statement. They particularly emphasise the importance of cooperation between Russia and the European Union above all in such areas as non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and fight against international terrorism and environmental pollution. The committee plans "to concentrate intellectual and political resources on making the dream of a single, secure and prosperous Europe from Iceland to Sakhalin a reality," the declaration says.