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On 26-27 June, the summit meeting of European Union and Russia took place in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.
During the summit, the EU and Russia agreed to start talks on a new co-operation agreement, which will replace the current Partnership Co-operation Agreement. The first round of the negotiations is foreseen already for 4 July. The parties welcomed also cross-border co-operation programmes over the period of 2007-2013, developed under the European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument, which will start operating at the beginning of 2009.
Representatives from the EU and Russia debated the work accomplished so far in taking forward the EU-Russia Road Maps for the four Common Spaces, and the opportunities for improving their implementation.
The parties looked at issues of global concern: the world economy, the security of food supply, energy security and climate change. In the field of security, the EU and Russia debated the frozen conflicts in Georgia and Moldova, the peace process in the Middle East, the Iranian nuclear programme and the situation in Afghanistan.
Participants from the EU side were the Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, President of the Council of the European Union; Secretary-General of the European Council, Javier Solana; President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso; Foreign Minister of Slovenia, Dimitrij Rupel as well as Commissioners Benita Ferrero-Waldner (External Relations) and Peter Mandelson (Trade).
Russia was represented at the Summit by President Dmitry Medvedev, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the Minister for Economic Development and Trade, Elvira Nabiulina.
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