EU to restart partnership talks with Russia

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-15-2008 09:24

The European Union will restart partnership talks with Russia that were put on hold in September over the war with Georgia.

The decision was announced following last week's summit in the southern French city of Nice.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (L) and French President Nicolas Sarkozy attend a press conference of the EU-Russian summit in Nice, southern France, Nov. 14, 2008.The EU and  Russia held the summit in Nice on Nov. 14.(Xinhua Photo)

The summit comes at a time when EU-Russia relations are soured by trade disputes, and the Russia-Georgia military conflict.

The European Commission President says resuming partnership talks with Russia is in the EU's interests.

Jose Manuel Barroso, European Commission President, said, "We have only just decided to continue negotiations, so I can't yet give you a date of when an agreement will be signed. This is an agreement of strategic importance, we feel that it is strategic for the European Union and I think Russia thinks likewise."

European leaders also held talks with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev on security issues.

French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, currently the EU president, said a planned US missile defense system in Europe will do nothing to help European security. He also urged Moscow to freeze its own missile plan.

Nicolas Sarkozy, French President, said, "Russia and Europe have a mutual interest in working together. It's in both Russia and Europe's interest. We really do not need conflict, confrontation, division and war, we need to get together and be unified."

Medvedev said his remarks of installing missiles close to EU borders are a reaction to the US missile defense plan.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russian President, said, "I completely agree with the point that before the signing of a special European security agreement, we should all refrain from unilateral steps which affect this security. Russia has never made any such unilateral steps. "

Sarkozy said a summit of NATO leaders set for April could also discuss these security concerns.

The two sides also discussed Georgia, EU-Russia trade and the financial crisis at Friday's summit.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei