Estse eurocommissaris Kallas pleit voor harde opstelling EU jegens Rusland (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - Estonia's Commissioner designate Siim Kallas has urged the European Union to take a tough line towards Russia in its future dealings.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday morning, Mr Kallas said "we don't want exceptions for Russia".

The former prime minister of Estonia went on to say "our fear is that there are always some demands by Russia and, again and again, some member country will emerge and say that these demands are justified".

"This creates, of course, a certain anxiety in our country".

His comments follow much soul-searching by the EU which is going through a turbulent patch in its relations with Moscow and which has often failed to speak with one voice.

One of the most notable cases was when Italy's Silvio Berlusconi - flouting an agreed EU stance - appeared to back Russian policy in Chechnya.

Russian minority

Mr Kallas, who is set to take up his post on 1 May, also denied that there are any problems with the Russian minority in Estonia.

Moscow is refusing to sign partnership and cooperation agreements with the new EU member states over the issue - Estonia has a population of 1.4 million about a third of whom are Russian.

"All these claims are not justified", said Mr Kallas adding that it was "mostly a question of foreign policy ... used to create tension in international relations".

The EU has already threatened political repercussion if Moscow does not extend the agreements to cover all of the new member states from 1 May.