Khabarovsk, Russia - EU and Russia leaders were positive
Friday about the outcome of a two-day summit in the Russian Far East,
despite negotiators having failed to reach an agreement on an energy
pact between the two powers.
'This meeting has strengthened mutual trust, which is important,'
said Czech President Vaclav Klaus, whose country now holds the
rotating EU presidency.
At a press conference broadcast live on Russian state television,
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expressed satisfaction with the
outcome of the meeting.
He stressed the 'strategic character of relations' between Russia
and the EU.
Russia invited the EU leaders to Khabarovsk near the border with
China, seven time zones east of Moscow, to appreciate the country's
vastness and the distances over which Russia's oil and gas were being
transported.
At the summit, Russia pressed for its rapid admittance into the
World Trade Organization.
Relations had soured when Moscow cut off gas supplies to Europe in
a standoff with Ukraine, and in relation to Russia's conflict with
Georgia.
Little progress was made on energy issues as the EU asked Russia
and Ukraine to take all necessary efforts to prevent a recurrence of
January's gas standoff.
Russia at the same time called on the EU to urge Ukraine to pay
its debts to Russia, delegates to the summit said, with Medvedev
repeating a request to Brussels to extend credit to Kiev.
Medvedev also reiterated calls for a new energy charter, saying he
hoped the EU leaders would consider Russia's ideas regarding a new
legal basis for dealing with oil and gas.
The EU's recent push for closer relations with countries in the
former Soviet sphere of influence also remained up in the air.
EU chief diplomat Javier Solana said the two parties wanted to
have intensive discussions over the issue over the next two months.
The EU leadership has dismissed Moscow's concerns that the Eastern
Partnership launched in early May was attempting to drive a wedge
between Russia and the six participating former Soviet republics.
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