Preparations for Russia-EU summit in full swing - Chizhov
BRUSSELS. Nov 26 (Interfax) - Preparations for an upcoming Russia-EU summit, scheduled for the second half of December, are in full swing along a wide range of avenues, Russia's Permanent Representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov said on Thursday.
"We are working on organizational aspects, substantive content, bilateral plots, discussions of global matters, including through the prism and in the light of Russia's G20 presidency," Chizhov told Interfax in Brussels.
The sides continue dialogue on visa issues, simpler visa formalities and crisis management as well as security and defense cooperation, he said.
"Right after our talk, I will fly to Berlin for a European conference on security and defense. I hope to be able to exchange opinions with EU representatives on the sidelines," the diplomat said.
"Our experts are engaged in intensive dialogue on international issues. Consultations on Latin America have just ended, and there will be more consultations - on Asia and some global policy trends - ahead of the summit. Last week saw a meeting between the political directors of the 'six' and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, in which our political director in that format, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, also took part," Chizhov said.
"A bloc of economic issues is also being discussed. Moscow recently hosted talks on finances and macro-economics. And on December 12, the Russia-EU Permanent Partnership Council for Energy is due to meet in Cyprus," he said.