Euro zone crisis, visa-free travel to dominate RF-EU summit in Brussels
The EU delegation will be led by Presidential of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
"The meeting will be absolutely pragmatic in nature," the Kremlin said. "By building up our cooperation we help increase stability in Europe. This is how we regard our interaction - as an additional contribution that helps all of us overcome existing financial difficulties."
The leaders will also be invited to a roundtable discussion of European and Russian entrepreneurs. Medvedev is expected to speed and participate in discussions. At the end, entrepreneurs will present their recommendations that should facilitate trade relations. RUSNANO Head Anatoly Chubais has been invited to moderate the discussion.
Presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko told journalists at a special briefing that a road map would be adopted at the summit in order to facilitate visa-free travel between Russia and the EU.
"A transition to visa-free travel for short-term trips will undoubtedly be one of the key topics at the summit. The Russian side believes that progress in this respect will facilitate cooperation on all aspects of relations between Russia and the EU," the aide said.
Negotiators have drafted joint steps towards visa-free travel, which links it to migration flows and protection of human rights and basic freedoms as well as supremacy of law.
"We are very much concerned over migration flows in the EU. This wording was worked out together. We offered it. It would not have been adopted without Russia's consent," Prikhodko said.
The summiteers will also discuss the consequences of Russia's accession to the WTO for further intensification of trade and economic relations between Russia and the EU, including negotiations on a new basic agreement, paying special attention to the implementation of the Partnership for Modernisation initiative designed to strengthen the innovation component of RF-EU business ties.
Moscow appreciates the EU's support in the drawn-out talks on Russia's accession to the WTO and understands its desire to make sure that a new basic agreement reflects a broader vision for trade and investment cooperation than the WTO rules allow; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass.
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